SPENCER, W.Va.– The pattern of near daily deluges of rain and thunderstorms has been soaking West Virginia for a couple of weeks. Forecasters say there’s no end in sight for the present pattern. The daily fluctuation of streams has worn thin on those living in flood prone areas.
“We didn’t have water in any homes. We had some basements flooded and a few streets closed. It’s been kind of a constant, constant in central West Virginia in the past several weeks,” said Spencer Mayor Terry Williams. “You have drainage problems and more slips and things like that. That’s the part that really wears on people.”
Wednesday night, crews from the city of Spencer were busy trying to unplug drains and closing down streets as waters of Spring Creek, Tanner Run, and Goff Run started to rise. The heavy rains from outlying areas caused as much trouble in the town as the rain received directly according to the Mayor.
“Tuesday night we have about 1.65 inches of new rain and last night 1.53 inches right in the downtown,” Williams explained. “Some of the surrounding areas got even more rain which flowed into Spencer.”
Clogged drains are a constant problem all over the town and all over Central West Virginia. Streams and creeks are already running high, the ground is saturated, and any additional rainfall causes the waters to reach flood stage rapidly.
“We do have more occasions of tremendous downpours of rain,” Williams said. “The drainage systems are nowhere near built to handle that kind of rainfall when you get an inch of rain in less than an hour.”
While he’d like to have the answer for those putting up with the constant nuisance and worry, Williams said a change in the current weather pattern would be the biggest help right now.
There are no watches posted in West Virginia this afternoon, but that could change with more rain and thunderstorms in the forecast.