Flash Flood — Jasper, Illinois

2017-05-04 · near Island Grove, Jasper, Illinois

Event narrative

Heavy rainfall of 1.50 to 2.50 inches during the early morning hours of May 4th, on already saturated ground, resulted in flash flooding across most of Jasper County. Officials reported that most roads were impassable and numerous creeks rapidly flooded.

Wider weather episode

Another round of heavy rainfall occurred across central and southeast Illinois on May 4th, as an area of low pressure tracked from the Texas panhandle to southwest Indiana. Rainfall with this particular system was heaviest across south-central Illinois, with many locations along and south of I-72 receiving 1.5 to 2.5 inches. 6-day rainfall totals from April 29-May 4 ranged from 4 to 7 inches. Cooperative weather observers measured 7.26 in Newton (Jasper County), 7.07 at the Shelbyville Dam (Shelby County), 6.44 in Neoga (Cumberland County), 6.25 in Pana (Christian County), 6.01 in Casey (Marshall County), 5.93 3 miles southwest of Effingham (Effingham County), and 5.55 in Tuscola (Douglas County). Due to this second bout of heavy rain occurring on top of already saturated soils, widespread flash flooding occurred along and south of a Danville to Taylorville line on May 4th...with areal flooding persisting in many locations through May 6th.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (39.1710, -88.3604)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 703311. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.