Published: May 13, 2009 04:33 pm      

Heavy rains push river levels higher

DANVILLE — Residents were watching the waters overnight amid predictions of continuing heavy rainfall across the area.

Danville was pelted with almost 1¼ inches of rain by late afternoon on Wednesday, joining the rest of the state in downpours that swept from west to east across central Illinois. Winds also began to increase as the day went on, topping out at 30 mph by 4 p.m., according to the Vermilion County Emergency Management Agency weather station atop the downtown courthouse.

Because of the precipitation, a flood watch was issued by the National Weather Service during the afternoon for Vermilion County and counties in east central and southeast Illinois.

Vermilion County EMA Director Ted Fisher said Wednesday afternoon that officials were monitoring the overall situation, with no particular flood-prone areas receiving specific attention. He cautioned that the county could see flash flooding in areas because of more rains falling on the already saturated grounds.

According to the National Weather Service, the Vermilion River was sitting at 5¾ feet Wednesday afternoon. But forecasts indicate levels could increase more than 10 feet by Friday morning, putting it within two feet of flood stage.

By late afternoon Wednesday, the Middle Fork River above Oakwood had risen almost a 1½ feet compared to its level on Tuesday. The North Fork above Bismarck had seen a similar jump in its level compared to the day before.

The daytime rains were only expected to be the beginning, with meteorologists predicting an oncoming cold front to bring with it another wave of rain and thunderstorms Wednesday evening. Heavy rainfall was predicted for east central Illinois as well as the possibility of hail and tornadoes.

With a watch issued, the National Weather Service warns that people living in flood prone areas should be prepared to take action in case flooding begins to develop.