Flood — Pulaski, Illinois

2008-03-18 to 2008-03-21 · near Ullin, Pulaski, Illinois

Event narrative

Ullin was especially hard hit. At least 50 homes in Ullin were flooded, along with the town's pump station. The town's post office and grocery store were flooded. A car was submerged up to the steering wheel. Floodwaters rushed over a bridge in Ullin. Two to three bridges were washed out. Dozens of residents of an assisted living facility were evacuated as water entered the facility. The facility sustained major damage. Flooding of the Cache River closed Shawnee College Road for several days. Most of the county back roads were closed, and other areas of the county outside Ullin were evacuated. Six apartments and two houses were flooded in Mound City. Several homes in Karnak were surrounded with water or sandbagged, mainly due to flooding of the Cache River. Portions of Route 37 and U.S. Highway 51 were closed.

Wider weather episode

Torrential rainfall amounts from 6 to 12 inches occurred over a two-day period, causing an historic flood event. A very slow-moving cold front over southwest Illinois and southeast Missouri provided the focus for prolonged heavy rainfall. A deep southwest wind flow brought subtropical moisture across the frontal zone. Two-day rainfall amounts included 11.64 inches at Anna (Union County) and 11.50 inches at Galatia (Saline County). At the Carbondale airport, the two-day total was 6.61 inches. Other two-day totals included: 7.66 at Harrisburg, 7.53 at Mt. Carmel, and 10.50 at Du Quoin.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (37.2700, -89.1800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 84944. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.