Flash Flood — Brown, Ohio

2015-07-18 to 2015-07-19 · near Eastwood, Brown, Ohio

Event narrative

Thunderstorms developed across Brown County around 2100EST. A rain gauge near Red Oak received 2.4 inches of rain between 2120EST and 2205EST. Flooding started in the Georgetown area around 2140EST, when 6 people were stranded in multiple vehicles along State Route 125 due to rapidly rising water on Straight Creek. Over the next hour, numerous water rescues occurred throughout much of Brown County. By 2220EST, 3.0 inches of rain had fallen at the Red Oak gauge. Between 2200EST and 2300EST, Red Oak Creek rapidly rose out of its banks and caused widespread damage to homes and roads along the creek from Red Oak to where the creek enters the Ohio River in Ripley. Over 30 homes were affected by flood waters along Red Oak Creek. Three homes along the creek were completely destroyed and another 5 homes suffered major damage. Two adults and 4 children were in one of the houses as it was swept into the creek. One adult and two of the children were killed and the others were injured. Flash flooding continued into the early morning hours of the 19th.

Wider weather episode

Showers and thunderstorms developed during the evening hours across the Ohio Valley in association with an upper level disturbance that was moving through the region. The thunderstorms continued into the early morning hours of July 19th before tapering off. The storms produced locally torrential downpours.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (39.0406, -83.9644)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 591373. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.