News
High Water And Flooding Causing Road Closures
By: Atish Baidya, Taylor Mirfendereski, WOUB Contributing Writer
Posted on:
UPDATE 1/31/13 @ 10:25 a.m. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is reporting portions of several state routes in Southeast Ohio are closed or restricted due to high water or flooding after storms moved through the region Wednesday.
Among some of the closures reported in Athens County:
State Route 56 between the Vinton County line and Athens Corp.
State Route 681 between SR 681 and SR 56
In Meigs County SR 681 is closed between the Athens County line and the junction for U.S. Route 33.
For a complete list of closed and restricted roads you can visit ODOT's traffic website.
Crews are also working to restore power to hundreds left in the dark because of the severe weather.
According to AEP Ohio's outage map 256 customers in Hocking County are without electricity.
The storms also caused localized flooding and power outages in West Virginia. One of the hardest hit areas was Lincoln County where 1,349 customers have no electricity.
Other counties reporting outages include:
Cabell: 540
Wayne: 156
Forecasts call for another round of snow Saturday.
UPDATE 1/31/13 @ 8:55 a.m. Drivers are urged to use caution on the roads as tempertatures hover around freezing Thursday morning.
The National Weather Service said snow showers coupled with runoff from rainfall on Wednesday would cause slick road conditions.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports at least five minor accidents in Muskingum County and a few near the Athens/Meigs county line.
For a current check of road conditions you can go to the Ohio Department of Transportation's traffic website.
The severe weather also left hundreds of people in Southeast Ohio and West Virginia are without power.
According to AEP Ohio's outage map 254 customers in Hocking County are without electricity. In Pike County, 105 customers are without power.
The storms also caused localized flooding and power outages in West Virginia. One of the hardest hit areas was Lincoln County where 1,178 customers have no electricity.
Other counties reporting outages include:
Cabell: 534
Wayne: 158
The National Weather Service cancelled a high wind advisory for the region just before 9 a.m.
UPDATE 1/31/13 @ 8:15 a.m. Drivers are urged to use caution on the roads as tempertatures hover around freezing Thursday morning.
The National Weather Service said snow showers coupled with runoff from rainfall on Wednesday would cause slick road conditions.
The severe weather also left hundreds of people in Southeast Ohio and West Virginia are without power.
According to AEP Ohio's outage map 254 customers in Hocking County are without electricity. In Pike County, 105 customers are without power.
The storms also caused localized flooding and power outages in West Virginia. One of the hardest hit areas was Lincoln County where 1,178 customers have no electricity.
Other counties reporting outages include:
Cabell: 534
Wayne: 158
A high wind advisory remains in effect until 10 a.m. Thursday morning for Perry, Morgan, Athens, Washington, Jackson, Vinton, Meigs and Gallia counties in Ohio and in several parts of West Virginia.
UPDATE 1/31/13 @ 7:30 a.m. Hundreds of people in Southeast Ohio and West Virginia are without power Thursday morning in the aftermath of severe weather swept through the region.
According to AEP Ohio's outage map 254 customers in Hocking County are without electricity. In Pike County, 105 customers are without power.
The storms also caused localized flooding and power outages in West Virginia. One of the hardest hit areas was Lincoln County where 1,390 customers have no electricity.
Other counties reporting outages include:
Cabell: 535
Putnam: 137
Wayne: 136
A high wind advisory remains in effect until 10 a.m. Thursday morning for Perry, Morgan, Athens, Washington, Jackson, Vinton, Meigs and Gallia counties in Ohio and in several parts of West Virginia.
UPDATE 01/31/13 1:30 a.m. Hundreds of Southeast Ohio residents are without power early Thursday morning as strong winds and severe weather is making its way through the region.
Four Southeast Ohio counties within American Electric Power's region are reporting outages at this time.
Outage numbers by county include:
Belmont County – 239
Washington County – 181
Athens County – 157
Muskingum County – 111
A high wind advisory remains in effect until 10 a.m. Thursday morning for Perry, Morgan, Athens, Washington, Jackson, Vinton, Meigs and Gallia counties in Ohio and in several parts of West Virginia.
UPDATE 4:45 p.m. Many Southeast Ohio counties and parts of West Virginia will be under a wind advisory beginning early Thursday morning.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for Perry, Morgan, Athens, Washington, Jackson, Vinton, Meigs and Gallia counties in Ohio; Mason, Jackson, Wood and Pleasants counties in West Virginia.
The advisory takes effect at 1 a.m. and will end at 10 a.m. Thursday.
UPDATE 9:20 a.m. Ten Southeast Ohio counties are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Parts of the region are also under a tornado watch until 1 p.m. Wednesday as a strong line of storms is moving through the region.
The National Weather Service issued the tornado watch for Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Vinton and Perry counties in Ohio; Cabell, Lincoln, Jackson, Putnam, Mason and Wayne counties in West Virginia; Boyd, Carter and Greenup counties in Kentucky.
The region is also under a wind advisory until 10 a.m. Thursday.
UPDATE 8:11 a.m. The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Muskingum County until 8:45 Wednesday morning as a strong line of storms moves through the region.
Portions of Southeast Ohio and northeastern Kentucky are under a severe thunderstorm warning until 8:30 Wednesday morning.
Radar indicted a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds in excess of 60 mph.
Parts of Southeast Ohio and northeastern Kentucky and West Virginia are also under a tornado watch until 1 p.m. Wednesday as a line of strong storms moves through the region.
The National Weather Service issued the tornado watch for Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Vinton and Perry counties in Ohio, and Boyd, Carter and Greenup counties in Kentucky.
In addition, Cabell, Lincoln, Jackson, Putnam, Mason and Wayne counties in West Virginia are under the same tornado warning.
The region is also under a wind advisory until 10 a.m. Thursday.
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for portions of Southeast Ohio and northeastern Kentucky until 8:30 Wednesday morning.
Radar indicted a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds in excess of 60 mph.
Parts of Southeast Ohio and northeastern Kentucky are also under a tornado watch until 1 p.m. Wednesday as a line of strong storms moves through the region.
The National Weather Service issued the tornado watch for Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Vinton and Perry counties in Ohio and Boyd, Carter and Greenup counties in Kentucky.
The region is also under a wind advisory until 10 a.m. Thursday.