Flash Flooding Causes Road, School Closures in Marshall County

photo by: Derek Redd
High water covers the road Tuesday near Ember’s Lounge in McMechen. Several roads were closed and schools were dismissed early in Marshall County due to concerns with flooded roads.
Marshall County Schools sent students home early Tuesday as creeks and streams rose and some roads in the county were closed to traffic.
It was the first day back in the classroom following the holiday break for the students.
Marshall County Emergency Management Agency Director Tom Hart said students were dismissed first at Cameron High School at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, with other schools in the county then going home at 1 p.m.
High water led the school district to announce that it will operate on a one-hour delay, in addition to its regularly scheduled one-hour delay, today.
Hart said there was widespread flooding across the county, and several roadways were closed.
The heaviest hit areas were the Little Grave Creek area in Glen Dale, the Big Grave Creek area in Moundsville, and inside the city limits of Cameron.
Flooding also was happening in Fish Creek, and the Ohio River was over its banks in several locations in Marshall County, according to Hart.
He encouraged drivers encountering water-covered roadways to find alternate routes.
Shelby Haines, superintendent of Marshall County Schools, said the school district works with EMA personnel “to make decisions to keep students and employees safe.”
“We were alerted that numerous creeks were close to being over their banks or were covering roadways, therefore we decided to dismiss early,” she said.
The National Weather Service expected rain to taper off by Tuesday evening, and flooding to drop. More rain is anticipated today, but to a much lesser extent, according to Bill Modelwski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh.
Only a 1/4-inch of rain is expected today, while 3 inches hit the area on Tuesday, he explained.
“(Today’s) rainfall is going to be lighter, and we’re not expecting any issues,” Modelwski said.
The temperatures overnight were expected to be “fairly mild” in the mid-50s, and he expects the high temperatures today to reach the low 60s.
As of Tuesday afternoon, flood warnings remained in effect for areas south of Wheeling, such as Shadyside and Moundsville, Modelwski said.
Lou Vargo, director of the Ohio County Emergency Management Agency, said Tuesday afternoon there were no reports of flooding in the county.
“We will have to watch over the next 24 hours,” he said. “We have been checking in with the fire departments, and watching the radar and creek levels.”