FINDLAY — The sun may be peeking out now, but city officials are bracing for nearly 2 inches of rain and flood waters high enough to close down Main Street by Thursday.
"We just had a briefing with the National Weather Service out of Cleveland. Their most likely scenario is an inch and three quarters of rain over the next 48 hours starting this evening," Safety Director Jim Barker said Tuesday afternoon. "Their best estimate [for the Blanchard River] is 15.5 feet sometime on Thursday — that would be No. 8 on our Top 10 list."
Mr. Barker said that if the Blanchard rises to the predicted level, "it would cut the city in half again. We would lose Main Street north of the bridge."
City residents are to receive phone calls Tuesday afternoon with a recorded message from Mr. Barker telling them of the forecast and asking them to leave their home if it is in an area that historically floods.
The American Red Cross plans to open an emergency shelter at the Hancock County Agency on Aging Senior Center on East Melrose Avenue on Wednesday, Mr. Barker said.
The city also is making sandbags available at no cost at the Cube recreation center and downtown at the Parker Lumber building on Crawford Street.
Tornado watch in area
Weather forecasters are saying that means severe weather is on the horizon. The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Lucas County, as well as the counties of Allen, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams and Wood, until 10 p.m. Tuesday. Strong storms that could include hail are expected later Tuesday evening, giving way to light rain late. A wind advisory is also in effect — with the potential for gusts up to 30 miles per hour — until 9 p.m.
"Every hour that it doesn’t rain is a blessing," Mr. Barker said. "It’s that much more water that got out of town."
While the Blanchard River’s worst flood occurred in 1913 when the river reached 18.5 feet, that record was followed closely by an August, 2007, flood in which the river crested at 18.46 feet. This past March 1, the river crested at 16.42 feet, which is listed as the city’s sixth worst flood.
First Published April 26, 2011, 6:54 p.m.
