1st major storm of 2020 unleashes record-breaking rainfall, threatens possible dam failure
By
Adriana Navarro, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Jan 3, 2020 3:42 AM EDT
The trees in Clinton, Mississippi, had their roots inundated on Jan. 2, when rain ravaged the area. A flash flood warning was issued for the city.
The first major storm of the new year swept across the Southern states on Thursday into the evening hours, bringing flooding rainfall and severe thunderstorms.
Heavy rainfall across Jackson, Mississippi, inundated roads and stranded cars in high waters. A report came in of heavy rain even lifting manhole covers, water coming up and into the streets. As of 7 p.m. CST, about 3.93 inches of rain had fallen over the city, breaking Jackson's daily rainfall record. The last record had been set in 2017 at 2.99 inches of rain. As of 3 p.m. CST Friday, the city had received 4.46 inches of rainfall.
Southwest and closer to the boarder of Louisiana, 6.48 inches of rain fell over Natchez, Mississippi, as of 3 p.m. CST Friday.
A few motorists challenged the rising waters, losing their cars to the flooding in the process. At least two vehicles were reported under water, if not nearly submerged, on Monument Street in Jackson, Mississippi.
"Some areas look to have gotten greater than 6 inches of rain and even some isolated areas of over 9 inches in northeast Louisiana and western Mississippi," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.
Around 7 p.m. CST, concerns began to grow over the possibility of a dam breaching on Robbin's Lake Road in Adams County, Mississippi.
A little over an hour later, a flash flood warning was issued for a possible dam failure in Adams County until 11:15 p.m. CST. The National Weather Service cautioned that, "if the dam fails, 8 to 10 feet. of water could be possible in areas near Lower Woodville Rd, and water could make it to US 61."
In Clinton, Mississippi, Stephen Manning filmed creek-like streams along the side of Northside Drive – only they weren't creeks. Water had inundated the area, the trees only break the surface of some areas.
The storm will continue to move eastward into northern and central Alabama, and the threat of flooding should lighten, Reppert said.
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News / Weather News
1st major storm of 2020 unleashes record-breaking rainfall, threatens possible dam failure
By Adriana Navarro, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Jan 3, 2020 3:42 AM EDT
The trees in Clinton, Mississippi, had their roots inundated on Jan. 2, when rain ravaged the area. A flash flood warning was issued for the city.
The first major storm of the new year swept across the Southern states on Thursday into the evening hours, bringing flooding rainfall and severe thunderstorms.
Heavy rainfall across Jackson, Mississippi, inundated roads and stranded cars in high waters. A report came in of heavy rain even lifting manhole covers, water coming up and into the streets. As of 7 p.m. CST, about 3.93 inches of rain had fallen over the city, breaking Jackson's daily rainfall record. The last record had been set in 2017 at 2.99 inches of rain. As of 3 p.m. CST Friday, the city had received 4.46 inches of rainfall.
Southwest and closer to the boarder of Louisiana, 6.48 inches of rain fell over Natchez, Mississippi, as of 3 p.m. CST Friday.
A few motorists challenged the rising waters, losing their cars to the flooding in the process. At least two vehicles were reported under water, if not nearly submerged, on Monument Street in Jackson, Mississippi.
"Some areas look to have gotten greater than 6 inches of rain and even some isolated areas of over 9 inches in northeast Louisiana and western Mississippi," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.
Around 7 p.m. CST, concerns began to grow over the possibility of a dam breaching on Robbin's Lake Road in Adams County, Mississippi.
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A little over an hour later, a flash flood warning was issued for a possible dam failure in Adams County until 11:15 p.m. CST. The National Weather Service cautioned that, "if the dam fails, 8 to 10 feet. of water could be possible in areas near Lower Woodville Rd, and water could make it to US 61."
In Clinton, Mississippi, Stephen Manning filmed creek-like streams along the side of Northside Drive – only they weren't creeks. Water had inundated the area, the trees only break the surface of some areas.
The storm will continue to move eastward into northern and central Alabama, and the threat of flooding should lighten, Reppert said.
Report a Typo