Flash Flood Watch In Cuyahoga County

CLEVELAND, OH — Cuyahoga County is under a flash flood watch until July 14 at 11 a.m. The National Weather Service issued the watch on Wednesday night, saying torrential rainfall is possible as thunderstorms move through the area.

The NWS says that some storms in the county will be capable of producing extremely high rainfall rates and may hit the same area repeatedly. An already rain week, which has seen heavy rain saturate soil, has made the county ripe for flash flooding.

Thunderstorms are expected to hit the county Thursday morning, dissipate, and then reform Thursday afternoon. Rainfall of 3 to 5 inches is expected throughout much of Northeast Ohio, including Cuyahoga County. (To stay up to date on local stories, subscribe to the Patch Cleveland newsletter. As news breaks and the story develops, you will be the first to receive updates from Patch.)

The heavy rainfall means residents should keep an eye on streams, low lying spots, and poor drainage areas because they will be especially susceptible to flash flooding. Anyone camping in the county should be extremely cautious because streams and rivers have been known to rise to dangerous level very quickly, the NWS says.

Storms should leave the area on Friday afternoon, after 11 a.m. However, rainfall is possible through Friday morning, so residents should remain cautious during early morning commutes.

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