Well, it looks like the NWS is pretty confident about the potential for heavy rainfall over the next few days.  They have issued a Flood Watch (below) for our area.  While Jasper County is not usually given to much flooding, we do have a large number of low water crossings throughout the county.  These can rapidly fill with running water and become deadly to anyone who crosses them. The old adage is true and worthy of repeating - “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”.  We will continue to monitor the situation and you do the same, please.

Keith

355 PM CDT Wed Apr 19 2017

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH

SATURDAY MORNING...

The National Weather Service in Springfield has issued a

* Flood Watch for portions of southeast Kansas and southwest

  Missouri, including the following areas, in southeast Kansas,

  Cherokee and Crawford. In southwest Missouri, Barry, Barton,

  Christian, Dade, Greene, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton,

  Stone, and Taney.

* From late Thursday night through Saturday morning

* Periods of showers and thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall

  will develop late Thursday night and continue through Friday and

  Friday night. Rain will gradually taper off Saturday. Storm

  total rainfall amounts will likely range from two to four inches

  with locally higher amounts up to five inches possible.

* This excessive rainfall will lead to the potential of flash

  flooding especially on small streams and low water crossings.

  Flooding may also materialize on main stem rivers including the

  Elk, James and Spring river basins.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on

current forecasts.

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible

Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be

prepared to take action should flooding develop.

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