Flood in Morgan County, Ohio

Roads were flooded, but damage to dwellings was minimal. Two brothers from Athens County died while on a fishing trip. Their flooded vehicle was found along the East Branch of Sunday Creek above Burr Oak Reservoir. Apparently, they drove into the high water at night, during the early morning hours on the 3rd. One body was found inside the vehicle. The second body was not found until the next morning, about a mile downstream.

A strong southerly flow, ahead of a cold front, transported very moist air through Tennessee, Kentucky and into southeast Ohio. Surface dew points were in the mid and upper 60s. Wave after wave in the mid and upper levels helped trigger widespread showers, with embedded thunderstorms. These training rains first affected Jackson and Vinton Counties between 0500E and 0600E on Sunday May 2nd. The heaviest rains arched into Athens County and eventually sank slowly south, to affect Lawrence, Gallia, and Meigs Counties later in the day.

The rains continued into the evening hours on the 2nd, then diminished during the late evening. However, some light rain lingered until after midnight on the 3rd.

The rain amounts over about an 18 to 20 hour period were mostly 3.5 to 4.5 inches across Lawrence, Jackson, Viinton, Gallia, Meigs, and Athens Counties. Waterloo in northern Lawrence County reported 4.8 inches for the maximum. McArthur in Vinton County and Jackson in Jackson County both measured around 4.3 inches. The town of Athens had 4.1 inches, while Gallipolis had 3.9 inches, and South Point measured 3.8 inches. An automatic gauge in Gallia County, between Gallipolis and Rio Grande measured 3.7 inches.

Small stream flooding was common. Roads were flooded. Some small bridges and culverts were washed out. Two men drowned near the Athens County line in Morgan County.