Remnants of Cindy are Spreading Heavy Rainfall From Lower Mississippi Valley into Ohio Valley

June 23,2017
Cindy was a tropical storm that brought days of heavy rainfall from the Gulf Coast northward into the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, and continues to spread rain from the lower Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley.
Moisture and energy from the remnants of Cindy are spreading north and east ahead of a cold front into Saturday, which will result in heavy rain and possible flooding from the South to as far north as the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic.
(LATEST NEWS: Cindy Triggers Flooding Along Gulf Coast)
Isolated tornadoes and heavy rain will continue to be possible through Friday evening.
NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has issued the following severe weather watches:

• A tornado watch valid until 10 pm EDT for portions of eastern Kentucky. This watch area includes Lexington and Hazard, Kentucky. 

What's Happening Now

Satellite and radar imagery show shower and thunderstorm activity in parts of the South, Ohio Valley and Northeast. The remnants of Cindy are located in central Kentucky, and they will continue northeastward into the central Appalachians.

Current Radar and Alerts

The remnants Cindy will continue to move into east-northeastward into the central Appalachians late Friday bringing very heavy rainfall.
Here's a rundown of the timing and impacts for Cindy.

• Friday: Heavy rain from Cindy will continue in the lower Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley, but moisture from the storm will also spread north and east ahead of a cold front arriving from the Midwest. This could contribute to locally heavy rain and flooding in parts of the Ohio Valley and the central Appalachians. 
• Additional rainfall of 1 to 2 inches, with locally higher amounts, is possible through Friday.

Impacts and Summary

Cindy developed from a monsoonal low-pressure system near Central America. A heavily sheared tropical low-pressure system moved northward into the Gulf of Mexico and became a tropical storm.
The tropical storm strengthened and expanded as it moved northward. On June 21, winds increased to 60 mph and tropical-storm-force winds expanded to more than 250 miles from the storm's center.
Wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph were clocked along the Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi coasts June 20-22.
Cindy made landfall as a tropical storm on the northern Gulf Coast between Cameron, Louisiana, and Port Arthur, Texas, early Thursday, June 22 with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

 

Tropical Storm Cindy made landfall early Thursday morning along the Gulf Coast.

In the days following Cindy's landfall, the storm's circulation combined with a cold front dropping south from the Midwest and Plains produced numerous tornadic circulations from Florida to Pennsylvania including one EF2 tornado near Birmingham.
Cindy washed out as a tropical depression in central Kentucky after traveling through Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee mainly as a rainmaker.
The highest rainfall amount so far is 18.74 inches near Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Here are a few select rainfall totals:

• Alabama: 8.29 inches in Mobile; 4.35 inches near Tuscaloosa
• Arkansas: 4.86 inches near DeWitt
• Florida: 10.70 inches in Navarre; 9.47 inches near Pensacola; 8.14 inches near Panama City Beach
• Georgia: 7.51 inches near Rocky Plains; 6.85 inches in Starrsville
• Louisiana: 10.49 inches near New Orleans; 6.92 inches in Pearl River; 4.63 inches near Baton Rouge
• Mississippi: 18.74 inches near Ocean Springs; 14.40 inches in Gulfport
• Texas: 5.36 inches in Mahaw Bayou; 3.35 inches in Sabine Ranch; 2.90 inches near Galveston

Radar estimated rainfall from June 20-22, 2017.

(MORE IMPACTS: Cindy Triggers Flooding, Tornadoes From Louisiana to Michigan)
Jun. 22
Early Thursday afternoon, a tornado was observed west of Birmingham, Alabama, with damage in Fairfield consistent with an EF2 tornado with 120 mph winds.
Structural damage was reported near the Western Hills Mall with at least four injuries.
In Pointe à la Hache, Louisiana, shingles were blown off some homes Tuesday, due to the strong wind gusts.
In Alabama, Cindy was blamed for the death of a 10-year-old boy, who was killed by debris June 21 in Fort Morgan. The child, identified June 22 as Nolan McCabe, died of injuries suffered when Cindy's storm surge washed a large log onto the shore and struck him, according to the Associated Press.
Jun. 21
Damage from an EF0 tornado occurred in the morning in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Two additional tornadoes were reported near Biloxi, Mississippi, where there was damage to trees, power lines and fences. Storm spotters reported a tornado just north of Onycha, Alabama, in the evening, but no damage or injuries were reported.
The maximum storm surge most areas saw in the morning was 2 to 4 feet (mainly east of the Mississippi River), with a localized maximum of 6 feet at Shell Beach, Louisiana, according to storm surge scientist Hal Needham.
Flooding from two swollen creeks was observed in Brewton, Alabama, in the afternoon. Some road flooding was also reported in far southern Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle.
Lake Charles, Louisiana, experienced flash flooding in the evening. Knee-deep water was reported on some roads, along with on/off ramps under water. There were also reports of stranded motorists across Lake Charles.
Jun. 22
On Thursday morning, coastal flooding was reported in Mobile, Alabama, causing the right lane to be closed on U.S. Route 90 eastbound at Interstate 10. Coastal flooding also occurred in Cameron, Louisiana, in the night between Jun. 21-22 with water across Highway 27.
A wind gust of 62 mph was measured near Cameron, Louisiana, with sustained winds of 48 mph.
Flash flooding resulted in multiple roads closed across western George County in Mississippi.
Storm surge of 4.23 feet occurred early Thursday in Freshwater City, Louisiana, and Lake Charles reported storm surge of 3.24 feet. A storm surge of 4 feet resulted in flooding outside a home near Avery Island, Louisiana.
MORE: Atlantic Basin Retired Hurricanes and Tropical Storms

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