By Brian Lada, Meteorologist
March 16,2015; 9:45PM,EDT
Rivers have been swelling across the Ohio Valley from the recent rounds of rain and snow, leading to widespread flooding issues.
Several storms have impacted this part of the country during the first half of March, including multiple rainstorms and a major snowstorm.
This influx of rainwater paired with melting snow has caused ice jams, road closures and have put lives and property at risk.
The Ohio River is one of the rivers in the region being most affected from the recent storms. On Sunday, the river crested in Cincinnati at its highest level since 1997.
River flooding is expected to continue over the next several days as water slowly makes its way downstream.
It will take a while for water levels to drop, however, leaving a number of rivers at flood stage through much of this week.
This means that roads that are closed due to high water could remain closed through the middle of the week before becoming passable again.
The progression of this plethora of water downstream could also spur flooding in other areas of the country.
"The lower Mississippi River will be on the rise this week as runoff from its swollen tributaries, including the Ohio River, drain downstream," said AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.
To make matters worse in the lower Mississippi Valley, a system is expected to spread rain across the region around the middle of the week.
Depending on the track of the system, some rain from this system could reach up in to the Ohio Valley.
"The main [flooding] issue will be along already swollen streams and rivers," Pydynowski continued.
It does not appear like this system would deliver as much rain as previous systems did earlier in the month, but will still contribute to rising water levels.
| Paducah, Ky. | 7.95 |
| Lexington, Ky. | 6.95 |
| Louisville, Ky. | 6.89 |
| Morgantown, W.Va. | 5.48 |
| Cincinnati | 5.25 |
| Nashville, Tenn. | 3.96 |
| Pittsburgh | 3.38 |
At least five homes have been flooded in the town of New Richmond, located southeast of Cincinnati, according to the Associated Press.
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Some rivers have yet to crest, meaning that the worst of the flooding has yet to come.
Check the AccuWeather.com Severe Weather Center for the most up to date flood watches and warning.
Early indications suggest that no major system will deliver meaningful rain to the Ohio Valley over the upcoming weekend and during the first part of next week.
This should allow rivers time to recede, although it will take weeks before rivers such as the Ohio River and lower Mississippi River return to normal levels.
As seen from the Covington Riverside Drive Historic District: the Ohio River flooding, nearing 58 feet. #Cincinnati
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