Coastal Flooding Hits Downtown Wilmington as Heavy Rains Cause Issues Across Ohio Valley
Downtown Wilmington streets flooded Monday evening as high tides brought water onto roadways, while thunderstorms caused separate flooding across Ohio and Kentucky.
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA — Coastal flooding struck downtown Wilmington Monday evening as high tides caused water to inundate low-lying areas along the Cape Fear River, while separate flooding from thunderstorms impacted communities across Ohio and northern Kentucky early Tuesday morning.
The National Weather Service Wilmington issued a Coastal Flood Advisory at 2:16 PM EDT Monday for the lower Cape Fear River area, including downtown Wilmington, warning of up to half a foot of water above ground level in vulnerable locations. The flooding occurred from 7 PM to 10 PM EDT Monday evening.
Downtown Wilmington Streets Affected
Water began spreading from storm drains onto Water Street just south of Market Street in downtown Wilmington during the high tide period. The lowest portions of USS North Carolina Road and Battleship Road also experienced minor coastal flooding as predicted by weather officials.
According to the National Weather Service, the affected areas were based on average tide conditions, with additional locations potentially experiencing flooding during periods of heavy rainfall, high winds, or other factors.
Separate Weather System Impacts Ohio Valley
Meanwhile, a different weather system brought heavy rainfall and flooding concerns to the Ohio Valley region. The National Weather Service Wilmington Ohio office issued a Flood Advisory at 2:01 AM EDT Tuesday for areas experiencing excessive rainfall from thunderstorms.
The advisory affected Boone, Campbell, Gallatin and Kenton counties in northern Kentucky, along with Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Montgomery, Preble and Warren counties in Ohio. Weather officials reported that radar and automated rain gauges indicated between 1 and 2 inches of rain had fallen by early Tuesday morning.
Multiple Communities Face Minor Flooding
Cities and towns experiencing or expecting minor flooding included Cincinnati, Hamilton, Kettering, Middletown, Fairfield, Covington, Mason, Florence, Independence, Oxford, Miamisburg, Lebanon, Norwood, Forest Park, Erlanger, Springboro, Fort Thomas, Newport, Sharonville and Monroe.
The Ohio Valley flood advisory remained in effect until 5:00 AM EDT Tuesday, with weather officials warning of minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Both weather events represented separate systems affecting different regions of the eastern United States during the same timeframe.
