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Apr 4, 2024
Photo by Derek Redd Families walk along the top of Wheeling’s Heritage Port on Wednesday evening. Normally, there are several flights of steps to take to get to the performance area. On Wednesday, it was the riverside. The Ohio River officially hit flood stage at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday.
Ohio County Schools announced Thursday afternoon that they will remain closed Friday due to flooding around the county.
11 a.m. update
Interstate 70’s Exit 0 onto Wheeling Island and the Bridgeport Bridge is still open, according to the Wheeling Police Department. High water has closed several streets in that area as flood levels continue to rise.
WPD asks that travelers and onlookers avoid the area.
8 a.m. update
The new forecast from the National Weather Service on Thursday morning predicts the Ohio River to crest at 42 feet sometime Thursday evening. That’s a slight bump up from the 41.6 feet predicted on Wednesday and puts that river crest at major flood stage.
According to the NWS, at 42 feet, flooding reaches the intersection of 39th and McColloch streets and the intersection of Georgia and North Front streets in Wheeling.
Original Story
The Ohio River reached flood levels on Wednesday evening and is predicted to crest at 41.7 feet tonight, according to NWS Pittsburgh Meteorologist Jarred Rackley.
The river will crest at “moderate flood levels” at 8 p.m. tonight, said Rackley, after reaching flood levels of 36 feet “around 4 p.m.” Wednesday.
Once the Ohio River reaches 36 feet, 25th, 34th, 36th, Market and Chapline Streets will begin to flood. Water will also begin to cover the lower parking deck of the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack at this stage, and the casino will have to be closed when the river reaches 38 feet.
At moderate flood levels, Water Street will become flooded at multiple intersections, with some backwater flooding along Main Street near the water treatment plant. Jacob Street, Wood Street and 38th Street will also be flooded at this level.
Areas on the southern tip of Wheeling Island, including the casino and the Wheeling Island Stadium will also become flooded at 41 feet.
On the precautions that should be taken when the Ohio River reaches moderate flood stage, Rackley reminded residents to heed road closures, stay out of the water and not drive through any water on roadways.
Rainfall is expected to slow down for the rest of the week, according to Rackley, after 3.34 inches of rainfall Monday through Thursday in Ohio County. Only a quarter inch of rainfall is on the forecast for Thursday through Sunday.
“We’re looking at some showers on and off for the rest of the week,” said Rackley. “For Wheeling that will result in right around a quarter inch of rain, which should slowly start to come down tonight [Wednesday] and tomorrow.”
Rackley added that the additional rain is “not too much to worry about” in regards to whether this will worsen flooding in the area. He explained the crest level on Thursday will result largely from the heavy rainfall Monday through Wednesday.
“The gap between the slowdown of the rainfall and the crest on Thursday has to do with how long it takes for all the runoff from the hills, parking lots, roads and everything else to make it into the streams,” explained Rackley. “From there, that runoff works its way downstream into some of the main stem rivers.”
Most of the runoff would be finished by Wednesday night, said Rackley, resulting in the crest occurring on Thursday.
No severe weather is on the radar for Ohio County for “at least next week,” said Rackley.
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