Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 22, 1990 TAG: 9005220624
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The valley was under a flash flood watch late this morning as the rain continued, but the National Weather Service said the heavy-to-moderate rain was expected to end by early afternoon.
"It doesn't look like it's going to be anything serious," said Harry McIntosh, meteorologist for the Weather Service's office at the Roanoke Regional Airport.
Some small streams in Pulaski and Montgomery counties were flooding, but no major flooding problems were expected, McIntosh said.
Thunderstorms across the region brought many creeks and streams to bank level or above. The heaviest rains this morning fell across much of Botetourt and Roanoke counties.
The Weather Service said the ground was saturated and if any more heavy rains fell flash flooding was possible. The counties included in the flash flood watch were Alleghany, Bath, Craig, Highland, Botetourt, Rockbridge and Roanoke.
Between 11 p.m. Monday and 1:30 a.m. today, the Weather Service recorded 1.9 inches of rain at the Roanoke airport.
Several vehicles were stalled on Salem Avenue in downtown Roanoke.
The flash flooding caused several manhole covers to come off. Thunder and lighting caused burglar alarms to go off in many locations around the city, police dispatchers said.
Campbell Court, the downtown terminal for Valley Metro buses between Salem and Campbell avenues, was flooded and crews spent several hours cleaning up the water.
Stephen Mancuso, general manager of the bus system, said today the water rose to a height of several inches in Campbell Court. The waiting area for passengers was also flooded.
Valley Metro employees were preparing to install water barriers at the terminal to prevent more flooding today if the rain continued, Mancuso said.
Mancuso said the wood and rubber barriers could be placed in the terminal's doors to help block water from flowing into the building. "They are not water tight, but they help keep out some water," he said.
The Weather Service said the heavy rain was caused by the same storm system that caused recent flooding in Texas and Mississippi, but Roanoke was not expected to receive severe rainfall levels.
A front associated with a low-pressure system moving over Kentucky stalled when it came into Southwest Virginia, contributing to the heavy rain.
by CNB