ThisCloud.net

News of severe flooding in Eastern Tennessee coupled with the midweek forecast for heavy rains had many local residents watching the waters of the Cumberland and Red Rivers this week, fearful of a repeat performance of last May’s devastating floods. While our Eastern neighbors have been hard hit, the Cumberland River is expected to crest in Clarksville on Friday at 40 feet, far below the 62.8 feet of the May floods, according to the National Weather Service and still six feet below the city’s official flood stage of 46 feet.

Emergency management officials have continually monitored the situation, noting that 40 feet is the “action stage,” the point where decisions must be considered on how to respond to the rising water. Clarksville is downstream from the heaviest rain and storms, and all that water has been running off terrain and draining from tributaries into the Cumberland — and headed toward Montgomery County.

On a positive note, the rain was a bit lighter and end ended a bit sooner than forecast on Wednesday, all of which had officials breathing a sigh of relief.

Cookeville was inundated by floods from this weather system, which was fueled in part by the remnants of Tropical Depression 5 that dissipated as it swept through southern Louisiana and Mississippi over the first half of the week. Tn came in waves, in the pattern but not the ferocity of a true tropical storm.

Sumner and Wilson counties received 4-6 inches of rain, roads were flooded or closed in sections of Mt. Juliet and Gallatin, and nursing home patients were evacuated from a facility near a rising creek in Macon County. In Putnam County, a home was pulled from its foundation by raging water, roads were damaged and small bridges destroyed. A train derailed when its railbed was was away.

Nashville is under a flood warning through Friday morning with a river crest of 40 feet. At 40.0 feet, flooding begins along the river in and around the Nashville metropolitan area. Flood waters approach some industrial areas downtown and Cumberland Field Airport. At 39.0 feet, water overflows the river bank along Pennington bend near Opry Mills, which was inundated by the May floods,  and approaches the landing at riverfront park in downtown Nashville. At 38.5 feet, the Pennington Bend area near Opry Mills begins to flood.