Flash Flood in Athens County, Ohio

Flooding was observed on Long Run Road, Willow Creek Road, and near Mansfield Road.

After a few drier days, a stretch of active weather returned to the area beginning on July 7th. This was due to a cold front slowly approaching from the west while the remnants of a tropical system tracked north through the Carolinas and Virginia. While the bulk of precipitation associated with the tropical system stayed well east of the Appalachian Mountains, scattered showers and thunderstorms sprouted up in the lowlands of southeast Ohio ahead of the encroaching front and as a shortwave trough moved through. The front remained fairly stationary over the Ohio River on the 8th of July, then lifted back to the north as a disturbance moved over the Great Lakes region on the 9th. Warm, humid conditions fostered development of showers and thunderstorms each day, with lulls in activity during the overnight hours.

Total rainfall amounts between the 7th and 9th ranged from one to three inches across parts of southeast Ohio, with a pocket of around four inches that fell in Athens County. Heavy rain occurred rapidly and led to flash flooding on a few roads in Athens County on the 7th and in Meigs County on the 9th. In addition, damaging wind gusts embedded within these showers and storms, particularly on July 7th, resulted in downed trees across Athens and Morgan Counties.