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Flood Concerns Mount As Heavy Rains Commence

Posted at 10:23 PM, Apr 12, 2014
and last updated 2014-04-12 22:23:53-04

WEST MICHIGAN (April 12, 2014) — Training thunderstorms (those that track over the same area) continued through most of Saturday afternoon and evening across much of our northern counties in West Michigan. In fact, several storms produced strong/severe weather and prompted severe thunderstorm warnings. FOX 17 had hundreds of damage reports and a plethora of viewer photos submitted.

In short, a stationary frontal boundary is draped over the counties just north of Grand Rapids. That means storms and heavy rain will continue to fire along this front (which is parallel to the upper level flow so it can’t move) and train over the exact same locations Saturday night and most of Sunday. The front will eventually sink to the south and pull most of the rain/storms with it. That said, locations north of Grand Rapids have the potential of anywhere from three to five inches of total accumulation of rain by the time the system pulls out on Monday.

A FLOOD WATCH has been posted for Allegan, Kent, Ottawa, Ionia Counties northward, and FLOOD WARNINGS are in effect for Oceana, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Montcalm Counties. Many rivers are already near/at bank full and any added moisture will certainly exacerbate the problem.

Click here for the National Weather Service page for flood updates. Click here to check all of the river points and river levels in our viewing area.

Sharply colder air will filter in behind this system on Monday. Some snow showers on grassy surfaces are possible later Monday and Monday night as temperatures fall all day through the 40s, 30s, and eventually the 20s. Get the complete West Michigan forecast at www.fox17online.com/weather…including radar/temperatures/7-day.