Flash Flood in Marion County, Illinois

Town Creek in Salem rose rapidly due to heavy rain and was level with Eastlawn Cemetery and Tully Park. The emergency manager in Salem issued a voluntary evacuation of Starlight Mobile Home Park, which occurs anytime flooding conditions of this scale are present. A majority of main routes in and out of Salem were inundated with water and closed with cars floating in the floodwater down West Main Street. The reservoir overflow channel was topped and water flowed into the town park and inundated homes to its south. In Centralia, 4 to 5 fete of water covered Locust Street near a major production facility. Heavy rains of up to 8.5 inches fell during the event.

A stationary front over southern Missouri along with ample mid-level forcing, moisture, and efficient rain processes resulted in flash flooding across portions of southwest and south central Illinois.