Flood — Carter, Kentucky

2025-02-06 · near Olive Hill, Carter, Kentucky

Event narrative

Tygarts Creek above Olive Hill rose above its bankfull level of 10 feet during the pre-dawn hours of February 6th. The creek rose to a crest of 14.5 feet during the morning, then receded below bankfull around midday. While above its banks, the lower section of Chili Street and the American Legion building off Lawton Road flooded. Agricultural fields, Bond Hollow Road, and low sections of Biggs Bridge Road next to the creek also flooded.

Wider weather episode

Showers first entered southeast Ohio and northeast Kentucky on the evening of February 5th in response to an encroaching disturbance. Widespread rain continued into the next day, then tapered off from northwest to southeast in the wake of a cold front during the early afternoon. After a brief interlude, another wave of precipitation then passed through northeast Kentucky late in the evening of February 6th.

A swath of two to four inches of rain fell across portions of northeast Kentucky. Flooding began in portions of northeast Kentucky shortly after midnight on the 6th, then expanded into southeast Ohio, southwest Virginia, and much of West Virginia as heavy rain continued during the day. Excess runoff led to rises along many creeks, streams, and smaller rivers. Impacts included some flooded vehicles and structures, mud and rock slides, water rescues, and numerous flooded roads.

While high pressure led to drier conditions, minor flooding lingered along parts of the Little Sandy River into the early morning hours of February 7th.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.3011, -83.1715)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1226908. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.