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Glub, glub....
The Mahoning Valley received about 1 1/2 to 3 inches of rain, causing flooding and power outages.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
Gallery
YOUNGSTOWN — Today is supposed to be the calm between the storms.
The forecast calls for a sunny day with highs in the mid 70s.
Maybe it will help dry out an area that was swimming in water Wednesday evening.
The Mahoning Valley received about 1 1/2 to 3 inches of rain Wednesday, said Karen Oudeman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
It was the largest amount of rain accumulation for the area since July 26, 2008, when 2.05 inches of rain fell, according to a review of weather service records.
The rain, which started to fall around 3 p.m. Wednesday, caused flooding and power outages throughout the region.
Joanne Simon of state Route 45 in Ellsworth had about two feet of water in her backyard around 5 p.m. Wednesday.
“We had a backyard and now we have a river,” she said. “It happened so quickly.”
Simon had less than a half-inch of rain in her basement.
Others weren’t so lucky.
The heavy rain caused flooding of roads and basements, and power outages all over the area.
“There was high water everywhere in the county,” said a Mahoning County emergency dispatcher.
About 4,000 Ohio Edison customers lost power in Mahoning County, primarily in the area on and near Western Reserve Road in Canfield, Boardman and Poland, said Paul Harkey the company’s area manager.
An additional 3,000 electric customers in Trumbull, Columbiana, Mercer and Lawrence counties also lost power, he said.
The power outages were caused by lightening, winds, and primarily by trees saturated with rain water resting on power lines that caused them to fall down, Harkey said.
Ohio Edison workers were busy on Interstate 80 near the Lordstown General Motors complex when a live electric wire fell around 8 p.m. That caused traffic to be stopped in both direction for more than two hours.
The weather service had predicted heavy rainfall for Wednesday.
The forecast for today doesn’t include any rain.
“It will be dry and we’ll be in pretty good shape,” Oudeman said.
But a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight is expected, according to the weather service’s forecast.
The showers are likely to continue into Friday evening.
Rain is also expected for Saturday and there’s a chance of showers on Sunday.
Rain isn’t in the forecast between Sunday night and Wednesday.
Those dealing with flooding from Wednesday’s rain are asked to e-mail photos and/or stories to the newspaper at news@vindy.com.
skolnick@vindy.com