Flood Warning for the Big Muddy

…The flood warning continues for the following rivers in Illinois… Big Muddy River near Murphysboro and Plumfield .Rainfall that has already occurred…along with anticipated rain through the weekend…will continue to cause rises along the Big Muddy River. Murphysboro is expected to crest at 23.1 on Tuesday. Plumfield is expected to crest near 20.5 on Saturday.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… SAFETY MESSAGE… Never drive cars…trucks or sport utility vehicles through flooded areas. The water may be too deep to allow safe passage. Never allow children to play in or near flood waters. Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your local media for further statements and possible updated forecasts.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight Another round of showers and scattered thunderstorms with moderate to heavy rainfall is forecast tonight, which may lead to the development of minor flooding issues. Please reference the Flood Watch for more information. .

DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Friday through Wednesday Periods of moderate to heavy rainfall are forecast through Saturday night. Flooding issues are likely to develop. Please refer to the Flood Watch for details. The Storm Prediction Center currently has the entire region outlooked in a marginal to slight risk for severe thunderstorms Saturday afternoon and evening. Potential thunderstorm impacts will include damaging winds and flooding rains, with a smaller risk for isolated tornadoes.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT… Spotter activation cannot be ruled out Saturday afternoon and evening. In addition, reports of heavy rainfall and flooding would be very helpful.

Areal Flood Watch Still Continues

* Multiple rounds of rain, moderate to heavy at times, will increase the risk for areal flooding through the first half of the weekend.

* The main flooding concern will be along small streams and creeks that feed into already swollen rivers across the region, especially in areas that receive multiple rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall. Elsewhere, elevated water levels in low lying and poor drainage areas may lead to standing water across some roads that typically flood.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts. You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

Seven Day Forecast

A Flood Watch is in effect through Saturday night. A very wet pattern will continue with multiple rounds of showers and some thunderstorms with heavy rain through the remainder of the week. Total rainfall of 4 to 7 inches is generally forecast through Saturday night. This may lead to flooding of creeks and streams that feed into already swollen rivers. Standing water may make some roads impassable by the weekend. Remember, if you encounter a water covered road, turn around and find an alternate route. (NWS Paducah)

..FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT…

The Flood Watch is now in effect for

* All of southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, southwest Indiana
and western Kentucky.

* Through late Saturday night.

* Multiple rounds of rain, moderate to heavy at times will
increase the risk for areal flooding through the end of the
week, primarily from Thursday night through Saturday night.
Isolated low land and poor drainage areal flooding cannot be
ruled out before then.

* The main flooding concern will be along small streams and creeks
that feed into already swollen rivers across the region.
especially in areas that receive multiple rounds of moderate to
heavy rainfall. Elsewhere, elevated water levels in low lying
and poor drainage areas may lead to standing water across some
roads that typically flood.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on
current forecasts.

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible
Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be
prepared to take action should flooding develop.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern
Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast
Missouri.

.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight

Rain will continue off and on today through tonight. The highest
rainfall totals today through tonight will be across west
Kentucky. Will monitor this area for isolated standing water
issues.

Temperatures will drop to near 32 degrees today from around Marble
Hill Missouri to Pinckneyville Illinois. This may result in some
light freezing rain mainly on elevated surfaces. Confidence is low
with respect to potential impacts on road surfaces. We will
monitor conditions through the day.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Thursday through Tuesday

Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms will bring periods of
heavy rain to the entire region Thursday night through Saturday
night. The flooding concern will increase with each round of heavy
rainfall, culminating with the cold frontal passage Saturday night.
Please refer to the Flood Watch for more details.

The potential for strong thunderstorms late Saturday afternoon into
Saturday night will also need to be monitored closely. The greatest
limiting factor may be the availability of surface based instability
with the amount of cloud cover and rain forecast.

Continue to monitor the latest river flood warnings for impact
messaging and forecast stage information.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

We request spotters report rainfall totals along with any
observed area flooding over the next several days.

Seven Day Forecast

Today Rain. High near 38. North wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Tonight Rain, mainly before 5am. Temperature rising to around 39 by 4am. Northeast wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Thursday A 20 percent chance of rain before noon. Cloudy, with a high near 50. Northeast wind 5 to 9 mph.
Thursday Night Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after midnight. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Low around 46. East northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming west southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Friday Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before noon, then a chance of showers. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 57. West northwest wind around 6 mph becoming north northeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday Night Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Low around 50. Light and variable wind becoming east southeast 5 to 7 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Saturday Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 64. East southeast wind 7 to 13 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Saturday Night Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of showers. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. South wind 13 to 15 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. West wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 36. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming east after midnight.
Monday Sunny, with a high near 56. East southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming north in the afternoon.
Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 37. East southeast wind 5 to 7 mph.
Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 57. East wind 6 to 8 mph becoming south southeast in the morning.