Oh my goodness - the rain we have had! The weatherman says we have received about 18" of rain in the past few days. It rains and it rains and it rains. Crazy hard and crazy fast. Yesterday the ditches filled up and the yard across the street had water standing in it, but once the rain subsided for a while, it drained away. But, today it rained absolute buckets. I was beginning to think the water was going to come into the house if it kept up at the rate it was falling.
I took these about 11:00 and before another five inches of rain fell. After that, you couldn't see the street, the grass or anything else but water, water, water.
This is the two yards across the street - before the extra five inches. After that, it looked like a lake with trees in it. It was trash day and bags of trash kept sweeping down the street blocking the culverts. The man next door and the Bean and I set out to keep the culverts clear, but it wasn't easy.
This house is directly across the street - that's her garden in the background. Or rather, what used to be her garden. It got really deep by the end of the day. The pasture behind her house had at least a foot of water standing in it too.
We live near the city park which has a small creek that runs through it. The creek is usually about five feet across and only a couple feet deep. Today it was running about 100 feet across and I don't even want to know how deep. The force was so intense that it actually raised up part of the street that runs over it and broke off the street signs. I know that a lot of you have probably been around floods, but to those of us that live in the Ozark Mountains, it isn't something we have had to deal with before and it is scary stuff.
The Breadman found himself in Oklahoma and news that the highways were closing down due to the Illinois River flooding the highways. He stopped working and drove back towards town to beat the rising waters. He made it back, but still had to be diverted and take different routes back to work and home including our very own street that was closed. He came home looking a bit like a drowned rat and was not in the very best of moods. But, at least he finally got home.
Right now it isn't raining or thundering or lightning and it is so quiet! I forgot how the night is supposed to be quiet! It is supposed to rain again tomorrow and Wednesday, but hopefully, this break will let it not flood so badly again. The weatherman just said that the amount of rain we have had would be equal to TWELVE FEET of snow. Shazam!
*Thanks to those of you that emailed to see if we were okay - I really appreciate it. And to Vintage Whimsy that was so worried about tornadoes - none hear, thank goodness, but Southern Arkansas is getting slammed bad.
I thought we had alot of rain here in Oregon, but you totally have us beat. That is crazy, crazy rain! Stay safe...
ReplyDeleteMy goodness. That's entirely too much rain!! The weather channel said that some of the towns in Arkansas were getting slammed really hard this evening and that one town was basically wiped off the map. I was so worried about you guys so I'm glad you're okay. I feel so bad for you all with the flooding and relentless rain you're getting. That's terrible. I hope the weather changes soon so y'all can dry out.
ReplyDeleteIn the dead, baking heat of summer, these floods will be just a memory...but how scary! I broke down and called my daughter earlier to check on her as she lives close to Scull Creek in town. She is ok, but I advised her to put everything important up on the table or bar just in case. Glad you guys are ok!
ReplyDeleteWater is powerful it scares me what is happening with the weather. I guess I will be happy it snowed only here. Stay safe
ReplyDeletecathy
Keep posting to let us know that you are safe! The Weather Channel is making it sound like your state is getting wiped off of the map!!
ReplyDeleteFor once 'saling', may actually be 'sailing'!! PLEASE stay SAFE!!!
Shara, so glad you haven't been hit with the really bad storms and tornados. And hopefully your rain has lessened and the water levels are going down all around you. We have a sump pump and I give thanks every time I hear it come on! Give those "boys" of yours a good hug and tell your husband to be careful.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason we've been spared (so far) here in southern Mississippi, except for the crazy winds. That being said, I think we're only being spared because the 2011 hurricane season is starting June 1 and I have a sinking feeling we're gonna take it on the chin. So keeping fingers, toes and eyes crossed!!!
ReplyDeleteAnother "glad y'all are safely faring this weird spring weather"! I cannot believe those photos; water is such a powerful force!
ReplyDeleteLouisville is also getting the constant rains (including right now as I type). Much of the areas close to the Ohio and tributaries are flooded and all downtown waterfront activities have been cancelled (because the park and roads are under water). The DH and I attended an outside concert at a park last night with partial roof and the band members kept commenting on the weather and our tornado watches.
Stay safe and alert...I'll wish some sunshine your way!