Flood — Jackson, Indiana

2008-02-06 to 2008-02-11 · near Rockford, Jackson, Indiana

Event narrative

Flooding occurred along the East Fork White River in Jackson County, including near Seymour, due to heavy rain and snow melt. A family of six was rescued from the flooded East Fork White River near County Road 150 East. The family was taken to the medical center in Seymour for medical treatment after the incident.

Wider weather episode

Widespread flooding struck central Indiana in February. Some of the same areas heavily flooded during January were once again flooded to near record levels. February flooding was more widespread and persisted longer than flooding during January. One person was killed because he drove into a flooded road. Snowfall of up to 10 inches accumulated during the early days of February in northern Indiana and portions of east central Illinois. This snow quickly melted by the morning of the 6th as temperatures rose into the 50s on the 4th and 5th. Rain of 1 to 4 inches fell in eastern Illinois and much of Indiana on the 5th and 6th. This combination of rapid snow melt and heavy rain caused extensive flooding of streams and rivers in central Indiana. The heaviest rainfall was in the east central Illinois, northern Indiana, and eastern Indiana areas. For the second time in 30 days, flooding approached record levels along the Tippecanoe River in northern Indiana. The Wabash River approached a major flood from Lafayette to Vincennes. Flooding along this portion of the Wabash River was the highest since January 2005. Extensive flooding along the White, Eel, Muscatatuck, and East Fork White Rivers was the highest to date of the winter. Flood damage along the Tippecanoe River was limited because many residents had not been able to repair January flood damage. However, some flood damage did result to those who had begun repairs. The number of people evacuated was much less as well because many homes were uninhabitable. An agricultural levee south of Terre Haute was over toppled. A few rural families had roads to their homes blocked by flood waters. Sandbagging was necessary in the Montezuma and Clinton areas. One person was killed during the evening of the 6th in Lawrence County. He drove his vehicle into a road flooded by Indian Creek. Numerous local roads and several state highways were flooded along Indiana's major rivers. Flood lasted from a few days in many central Indiana locations to nearly four weeks along portions of the Wabash River in the Hutsonville area.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.9778, -85.8971)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 80535. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.