Snow mixed with rain possible this evening, overnight
♦ Rome is keeping its levee gate closed until the potential for flooding is past.
Heavy rains overnight led to flooding Sunday in Cave Spring’s Rolater Park and the city of Rome closed its levee gate at Heritage Park as water lapped at the edge of the road.
“The river level went from about 8 feet yesterday to closing in on 22 feet today,” Rome Water and Sewer Director Mike Hackett said Sunday.
“It’s nothing out of the ordinary, but we expect it to continue to rise for a while.”
Rain was forecast to continue off and on Sunday night and into today, when there’s a 50 percent chance of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service.
Snow — at least the chance of flakes mixed with rain — is possible later this evening, with temperatures dipping to 28 degrees.
Nearly 2 inches of rain fell in Floyd County between 7 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday, much of it coming in the early hours, according to the gauge at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
In the southern part of the county, Little Cedar Creek overflowed its banks and flooded part of the park in Cave Spring’s central business district.
Tim Herrington, director of the Floyd County Emergency Management Agency, said the water didn’t reach the street and no homes were affected.
“It was just that low-lying area where the creek runs through the park,” Mayor Dennis Shoaf said Sunday afternoon. “It’s back below the bank now. We’re good.”
Meanwhile, the Etowah River at Ga. Loop 1 passed the action stage of 28 feet Sunday afternoon and was projected to peak at 28.4 feet today before starting to recede. Flood stage is at 32 feet.
In the city of Rome, the Oostanaula River spiked past the action stage of 19 feet Saturday evening, according to the NWS. It’s projected to hit 24.5 feet — just short of the 25-foot flood stage — this afternoon and is not expected to drop below the action stage again until Wednesday night.
Hackett said he’s keeping an eye on the weather forecast, which is currently calling for sunny skies Tuesday and a high near 49 degrees.
“If it does rain Tuesday and Wednesday, that’s going to compound the problem,” he said. “But this is standard routine, nothing out of the ordinary. We’ll just have to wait and see how high it goes and how long it lasts.”
There’s a 30-percent chance of rain Thursday, according to the NWS, rising to 70 percent Thursday night. Friday is likely to bring showers as well, although daytime temperatures are forecast to be in the low 50s both days and into the weekend.
Many of the usual low spots near flowing water are experiencing flooding. Srivers around the unincorporated areas of the county should use caution.