Rain in forecast

Rain, including freezing precipitation, once again was in the forecast for the region at midweek.

The return of wet weather followed several days of sunny conditions in the region.

A forecast calling for more rain comes at a time when major flooding is occurring along the Ohio River in parts of Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky.

The National Weather Service office in Paducah also had issued another flood warning for parts of the Mississippi River in Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri.

The weather service was calling for the possibility of light freezing rain on Wednesday night, Feb. 27.

The forecast posted Tuesday morning on the weather service office’s website also was calling for freezing rain before noon on Thursday, today. The possibility of freezing rain will be followed by a chance of rain and a high temperature near 36 degrees.

The forecast for Friday was calling for a mostly cloudy sky, with a high near 45.

Saturday’s forecast was calling for a slight chance of rain showers, snow showers and freezing rain before 1 p.m., a slight chance of rain showers between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., then a slight chance of rain and snow showers after 4 p.m. The high is forecast to be around 37.

Major Flooding

Major flooding was underway this week along the Ohio River at Cairo and Paducah.

The weather service reported that the Ohio River and some of its tributaries were being fed by a long-term surplus of rainfall over the Tennessee and Ohio valleys that began last fall.

Rainfall during the month of February has been near or above record levels. Paducah was experiencing its second wettest February on record, dating back to 1937.

Ohio River

The Ohio River’s stage at Cairo was reported to be at 55.6 feet at 7 p.m. Monday. Flood stage is 40.0 feet.

The river was forecast to continue rising to near 56.5 feet by this Saturday morning and then will begin to fall. 

The Ohio River’s stage at Paducah was reported to be at 53.0 feet at 7 p.m. Monday. Flood stage is 39.0 feet.

The river was forecast to continue rising to near 53.5 feet by this Saturday morning and then will begin to fall.

Flood warnings remain in effect until further notice for the Ohio River at Cairo and Paducah.

Gov. JB Pritzker was scheduled to visit Metropolis and Cairo on Tuesday to survey flooding in the region.

Mississippi River

The weather service reported that flood warnings were in effect for the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau and Thebes. 

Union County is bordered on the west by the Mississippi River.

The weather service reported that runoff from recent rains, combined with backwater from the Ohio River, would cause the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau and Thebes to rise into minor flood stage during the mid to latter part of this week.

A flood warning was slated to go into effect Wednesday afternoon and continue until Sunday morning for the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau.

At 7:30 p.m., the Mississippi River’s stage at Cape Girardeau was reported to be at 29.7 feet. Flood stage is 32.0 feet.

The river was expected to rise above flood stage by Wednesday afternoon and will continue to rise to near 33.0 feet by Friday morning.

The forecast called for the river to fall below flood stage by Sunday morning.

A flood warning was scheduled to go into effect late Wednesday night and continue until late Saturday night for the Mississippi River at Thebes.

At 7:30 p.m. Monday, the river’s stage at Thebes was 31.1 feet. Flood stage is 33.0 feet.

The river is expected to rise above flood stage by early Thursday morning, today, and continue to rise to near 33.5 feet by Friday morning.

The forecast called for the river to fall below flood stage by Saturday evening.