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Flood Warning in effect for parts of West Michigan

Posted at 8:59 AM, Oct 23, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-23 12:16:47-04

WEST MICHIGAN- We’re expecting a lot of very heavy rainfall over the coming days.  It’s been raining since slightly after midnight, and we’re already seeing totals of almost two inches roll in. In fact, much of the FOX 17 viewing area is now under a Flood Warning until 10:30pm tomorrow. All the areas shaded in bright green below are in this flood warning, including Kent, Ottawa, Allegan, Muskegon, Oceana, and Newaygo counties:

Here is a look at some rainfall totals so far:

Most of the heavy rainfall has been up to the north and along the immediate lakeshore.  Not that it’s rained any harder up there, but it’s started sooner and this is a good indication of what we’re expecting later on today.

One of our models suggests between 5-6″ of rain by Wednesday morning, and I think that may be underplaying it.  I would expect a few 7-8 inch totals mixed in a few locations where heavier bands of rain repeatedly move through.

That’s why the National Weather Service has placed most of the rest of West Michigan under a flood watch until Tuesday morning.  We’re going to expect heavy rain today all the way through Wednesday morning.