Lincoln, Nebraska, Shatters All-Time Daily Rainfall Record Set in 1910
A long and persistent plume of moisture flowing up from the tropical Pacific has fueled heavy rain and flash flooding across the Plains this week, breaking records and prompting water rescues. Here is the latest on the developing situation.
Flash Flooding Unfolds Across Central U.S. Due to Plume of Tropical Moisture
The remnants of hurricanes Polo and Odalys made it as far as the central U.S. this week, triggering several flash flooding events. The leftover moisture of these two tropical systems combined with a separate storm system with origins in the western U.S. to create the deluge of rain.
The flooding forced road closures and necessitated water rescues in many areas of the Plains. The heaviest bands of rain dumped 2 to 3 inches of rain per hour during the peak of the activity.
Omaha, Nebraska, was hit particularly hard by this volatile weather maker. First responders assisted in 80 rescue calls between late Wednesday and early Thursday. According to the Omaha Fire Department, approximately 50 people and several pets had to be rescued near the area of 62nd and J streets. Floodwaters surged to 6 to 8 feet deep in this part of the city.
There was a close call on Wednesday when a semi-truck slid across a highway and just barely avoided hitting another vehicle. A dashcam captured video of the incident. The driver who recorded the video said that heavy rain had resulted in limited visibility.
Record-Breaking Rainfall in Nebraska
The airport in Lincoln, Nebraska, notched 6.15 inches of rain on Wednesday alone. This measurement broke an all-time daily record for the airport that had dated back to 1910.
The torrential rain quickly overwhelmed Lincoln's sewer system. Officials were able to temporarily direct some of the wastewater into Salt Creek at the Theresa Street Water Resource Recovery Facility. This quick action helped to protect some homes from sewage backups. Local officials had to warn residents to be careful of the possibility of contaminated floodwater.
The situation was not much better to the south in neighboring Kansas. State emergency management authorities confirmed that flash flooding was a problem for several areas of Geary, Jackson, Nemaha, Pottawatomie, and Riley counties.
The state of Texas has also been under the gun for persistent rain all week. Firefighters in Abilene had to rescue a woman at about 1 am on Thursday when her vehicle became overwhelmed by floodwaters at Mockingbird Lane and North First Street. The woman was forced to climb onto the top of her car before first responders helped her swim to safety. Many roads in Austin were also closed because of the rising floodwaters.
The heavy rain is forecast to continue across the south-central U.S., the Gulf Coast, and the Southeast this weekend. Areas that see repeated downpours will be at the greatest risk of more flash flooding. While the rain will begin to clear out in areas farther west, officials in Kansas are warning residents that the threat of river flooding could persist until early next week.
Unfortunately for those tired of the soggy weather, the long-range forecast is predicting that the wet pattern will be the story throughout October in the southern third of the U.S.
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