Monroe County CERT, Indiana

08/17/2026

☃️ What if all this rain was snow? Well to put it simply... we still wouldn't be going anywhere! At a standard 10:1 ratio 10-20" of rain would technically equate to 8-16 feet of snow!

The math is fun to think about: 10–20 inches of rain at a 10:1 snow ratio would equal roughly 8–16 feet of snow. However, this will likely NEVER happen. The reason comes down to temperature and moisture. Warm air can contain much more water v***r than cold air, which is why summertime systems can tap into extremely deep tropical moisture and produce tremendous rainfall totals. Once the atmosphere becomes cold enough to support snow from the clouds all the way to the ground, its capacity to hold water v***r drops dramatically because cold air physically can't hold it!

So you generally can't combine the extreme moisture of a summertime rain event with the deep subfreezing air needed for a massive snowstorm in winter. The 10:1 calculation works mathematically, but the atmosphere simply cant not provide those ingredients at the same time here. This is good! Because we don't know about you, this would be a whole new meaning to "Back breaking snow" to shovel!

08/17/2026

What's up with the weather? This is a question we have been repeatedly asked and rightfully so! Not very often do we see 8 straight days of active weather including a derecho and 1 in 1,000 year flooding! Especially in AUGUST which is typically very dry and rather quiet.

The recent stretch of active weather has been driven by a stubborn, repeating pattern across the region. A strong ridge of high pressure over the southern U.S. has helped funnel deep Gulf moisture northward into the Ohio Valley, while a parade of weak low-pressure systems continued to track across our region unwavering in track! This pattern was like locked gears. This is why essentially we re-lived the same day for 8 straight days with more rain, more storms, and more flooding over the same areas.

It was unfortunate because everything come together for a historic 8 days in Indiana from a 80-100mph derecho to a 1 in 1000 year flood which in some areas was higher than the Great Flood of 1913! Thankfully going forward we do see a few chances at rain, but nothing like what we saw as this locked pattern is over!

08/17/2026

08/17/2026

Flooded Roads

Updated: 8/19/26 at 3:17 PM

- County Line Road (Owen and Monroe County Line), between Williams Rd and Texas Ridge Rd is closed due to flooding. The White River has caused some flooding on County Line Road within the northwestern portion of the county.

- Moon Road, starting at Texas Ridge Rd is closed due to flooding

Seek a different route.

Remember to turn around; don't drown

08/17/2026

A Cooling Station will open on Tuesday, August 18th, due to a temporary planned power outage that will impact the following neighborhoods only:

- Kimble Drive
- Yancy Lane
- Fairfield Drive

If you reside within these three neighborhoods and need short-term relief from the heat during the planned outage, you can go to the Van Buren Township Building located at 352 S. Fieldstone Blvd between the hours of 9am and 3pm.

The outage is scheduled to only last during those hours. If you have any questions about the outage, please contact Duke Energy.

08/17/2026

1204 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026
..FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL LATE SATURDAY MORNING...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is
forecast.

* WHERE...White River at Spencer.

* WHEN...Until late Saturday morning.

* IMPACTS...At 22.0 feet, Some evacuations may begin in Prospect
Park area and western outskirts of Spencer. Recreational area on
southwest side of Spencer is flooded. Flood waters affect the
southern part of Freedom while rural area just north of Freedom
extensively floods. Several local roads along the White River in
southern Owen County are flooded extensively.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 11:30 AM EDT Monday the stage was 15.7 feet.
- Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours
ending at 11:30 AM EDT Monday was 15.7 feet.
- Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 21.7
feet tomorrow evening. It will then fall below flood stage
late Friday evening.
- Flood stage is 14.0 feet.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

08/17/2026

1204 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026
..FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...

* WHAT...Moderate flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...White River below Eagle Valley Power Plant.

* WHEN...Until early Friday morning.

* IMPACTS...At 610.0 feet, Flood waters cover the flood plain along
SR 39 connecting SRs 37 and 67 just southwest of Martinsville.
Flooding causes the evacuation of a few people and damages Blue
Bluff Road near IPL Power Plant. Local river roads are impassable.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- There is no current observed data.
- Forecast...The river is expected to fall below flood stage
early Thursday afternoon and continue falling and remain
below flood stage.
- Flood stage is 603.0 feet.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

08/17/2026

Weather Outlook

- Showers and storms this morning will be followed by generally dry weather for the next 24 hours.

- Moderate flooding continues along portions of the Wabash and White Rivers.

- Rain chances return Tuesday night, generally dry after Wednesday

08/17/2026

Indiana has received substantial amounts of rain recently, and rivers, creeks, and storm drains are overflowing. While we are grateful not to have the catastrophic flooding that our neighbors north of us are experiencing, even low flood waters can be hazardous.

Some reminders to help you stay safe:

🚗 NEVER walk or drive through floodwater. Roads that look flooded but passable may have damaged pavement or unstable ground hidden under the water.

⚡️ Stay away from downed power lines. Flood waters can become electrically charged when in contact with live wires.

🦠 Floodwaters can carry infectious diseases, chemical hazards, and human/animal waste. If you come in contact with floodwater, make sure to wash your hands carefully with soap and water. Avoid contact with your eyes, mouth, and any cuts on your skin, and remove and wash wet clothes as soon as possible.

Learn more about flood safety:
- https://CDC.gov/floods
- https://www.Ready.gov/floods

08/16/2026

The White River will continue to rise as it flows to the south. Areas like Martinsville, Spencer, and Newberry will experience rapid rising in river levels until crest date.