River levels rise, but no flooding expected
Area rivers were below flood stage Saturday evening as some predicted storms missed Fayette County, but the National Weather Service warned residents living near creeks and streams to remain on alert. “While we fully expect the rivers to crest below flood stage, we’re concerned about streams and creeks,” meteorologist Brad Rehak said.
Rehak said melting snow and ice in creeks and streams could cause problems for residents nearby, particularly if the area gets a strong, quick rainfall.
“A quick three-quarter inches of rain could cause some minor flooding problems, because there’s nowhere for the snow to go when it falls that fast,” Rehak said.
While storms missed Fayette, hitting south of the county, Rehak said the county could face a thunderstorm late Saturday or early Sunday.
Rain and melting snow were expected to cause water levels on the Monongahela River to rise as much as 6 feet by today, the weather service said late Saturday.
That was lower than earlier forecasts, and it means that rivers are expected to remain below flood stage.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Fayette and neighboring Greene and Washington counties for Saturday night. That designation means that flooding is possible, but not imminent.
Fayette, Greene and Washington 911 centers reported no cases of flooding as of late Saturday afternoon.
According to D.J. Angelone, emergency services coordinator for Luzerne Township, the Maxwell Lock and Dam reported normal conditions Saturday night, and flooding was not expected.
“At this point, we don’t expect anything will happen,” said Angelone.
While the threat of flooding might have eased Saturday, area residents are facing the prospect of more winter weather.
The weather service expects snow showers to dump 2 to 3 inches on the area today and another inch or less tonight.
Temperatures will fall into the 20s throughout the day and into the teens tonight.
Rehak said high-wind warnings are in effect for Fayette, Greene and Washington counties today. The warning, which means high winds are imminent, took effect late Saturday.
Rehak said the service is predicting winds from 25 to 45 mph, and possibly as high as 60 mph. With such strong winds, Rehak said, residents should be aware of the potential for damage in the form of downed trees or power lines.