Rain and hail pound Mahoning, Shenango valleys

By JESSICA HARDIN

jhardin@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Drenching rains, hail and wind pounded the Mahoning and Shenango valleys as a band of heavy weather crossed the state line Tuesday evening.

Flash flooding occurred across central Mahoning County from Canfield to Boardman to Poland and other nearby locations. A flash flooding warning was issued in Mahoning and Portage counties into late Tuesday.

Late Tuesday, Ohio Edison said that 2,592 customers were without power in Mahoning County and 144 in Trumbull, 416 in Mercer County, Pa. and 124 in Lawrence County, Pa.

Some people reported golf ball-sized hail.

Raelene Campbell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Cleveland office, said Austintown reported the most rainfall out of NWS sites in the area: 2.83 inches as of 8:30 p.m.

Youngstown’s rainfall averaged about 1.5 inches over six hours between its three reporting sites. Youngstown “had a lot of rainfall within a short period of time,” Campbell said.

Flood waters were reported from one foot to three feet in Canfield and Boardman, Campbell said. Numerous vehicles were reported stranded.

Cardinal Joint Fire District Chief Don Hutchison said all firefighters were recalled for high-water rescues around Canfield city and township. Responders used inflatable rafts to rescue about a dozen people trapped inside their basement-level homes at Indian Run Apartments along Indian Run Drive near Tippecanoe Road.

“The water line was up to our guys’ waists. They said it was just like a river. They were afraid to even put some of the fire trucks through — it was moving that fast and that high,” he said.

Responders used the rafts and a larger, inflatable boat to rescue people from seven apartment complexes, he said.

Another family tried to dry its flooding home with a gasoline-powered pump and were evacuated due to rising carbon monoxide levels, Hutchison said.

The American Red Cross opened a shelter at the Canfield Presbyterian Church for displaced residents.

Canfield schools closed Wednesday and canceled all events. Commencement practice will be Thursday.

The Boardman Giant Eagle off U.S. Route 224 in Canfield was so severely flooded that cars were stranded and the store closed early.

Route 224 ramps to state Route 11 in Canfield also were closed. Route 224 was closed just east of Lockwood Boulevard. State Route 165 closed between U.S. 62 and state Route 46.

There was heavy flooding in Boardman Township, including an impassible area at Market Street and Southwoods.

Boardman residents took to social media to share photos and videos of the flooding.

There was standing water on South Avenue near Handel’s. Flooding hit neighborhoods off of West Boulevard, Glenwood Avenue, Hitchcock Road and Afton Avenue.

There were reports of up to two feet of water in patches of Market Street between Western Reserve Road and Route 224. There was standing water on Route 224 west of Market Street.

Glenwood Avenue was reportedly almost completely flooded near South Cadillac Drive.

Boardman residents even shared photos of young people playing in the water, but the quality of the rain water poses a risk, said township Administrator Jason Loree.

“People need to stay out of the rain water in your streets. There are all kinds of contaminants in that water that can cause you harm,” said Loree.

Tuesday night, Boardman Township was responding to people trapped on major roads, Loree said.

The waters of Yellow Creek rose behind the public library in Poland.

Mahoning River monitoring sites in Youngstown and at Crab Creek reported the river level has risen by about a foot as of 8:30 p.m. Campbell of the NWS said the river is expected to continue to rise as precipitation settles into the river.

“It’s still well below flood-stage,” she said. “We’re more worried about the roads and people’s yards that are underwater.”

Ellsworth Fire Department closed the area of Duck Creek Road at Route 224 as well as a portion of state Route 45 south of 224 due to high water.

The storm did not appear to bring strong winds, as the fastest wind speed was a reported 15 mph near the intersection of state Route 711 and U.S. Route 422, Campbell said.

Austintown Township Administrator Mike Dockry said emergency dispatchers had not received any reports of strong winds before 7 p.m. Wednesday, and the storm had only downed one cable line that has since been repaired.

Reports of hail, most of which ranged from pea-sized to one-inch wide, came from west of Youngstown, Campbell said.

The severe weather is not over just yet.

Storms will likely continue Wednesday after 1 p.m. and into Wednesday night.

And on Thursday after 11 a.m., showers and thunderstorms are forecast, with rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Storms could roll through the area until midnight.

“Unfortunately, we’re stuck in this cycle,” Campbell said. “Until Friday, it’s looking like a rainy, stormy mess — especially down in Youngstown.”

In the midst of responding to the severe weather Tuesday, Loree was considering plans for recovery.

“We’re going to be looking for assistance from the federal and state government to help with cleanup and aid to whose who need it.”