Warm temperatures and heavy thunderstorms expected to lead to flooding tonight through Thursday

From NWS, 4:17 a.m. Wednesday

[February 19, 2014]  In a website posting at 4:17 a.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service in Lincoln announced a flood watch for the counties of Knox, Stark, Peoria, Marshall, Woodford, Fulton, Tazewell, McLean, Schuyler, Mason, Logan, DeWitt, Piatt, Champaign, Vermilion, Cass, Menard, Scott, Morgan, Sangamon, Christian and Macon, including the cities of Galesburg, Peoria, Bloomington, Normal, Havana, Lincoln, Champaign, Urbana, Danville, Jacksonville, Springfield, Taylorville and Decatur.

The NWS has issued a flood watch from late Wednesday night through Thursday afternoon for portions of central and east-central Illinois, including the counties of Cass, Christian, DeWitt, Fulton, Knox, Logan, Macon, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Menard, Morgan, Peoria, Piatt, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Stark, Tazewell and Woodford in central Illinois and the east-central Illinois counties of Champaign and Vermilion.

A storm system will bring an inch to an inch and a half of rainfall to an area with plenty of snow still on the ground. Some areas under stronger showers may see locally higher amounts. The ground is already saturated from recent snowmelt, and warm temperatures and rain will work together to melt the remaining snow late Wednesday night and into Thursday. Almost all of the water will become runoff. Thunderstorms producing a lot of precipitation quickly will intensify the threat for flooding.

Area creeks and rivers will likely see rises associated with the rainfall and snowmelt. Water will fill ditches and possibly cover roads, particularly in low-lying areas. Urban areas with poor drainage and underpasses may also have problems with rising water.

Precautionary, preparedness actions: A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts. You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

___

Map and further information:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ilx/

[Text from National Weather Service, Lincoln office]