PARKERSBURG - It appears the Mid-Ohio Valley has been lucky this time and averted a flood and most high water, officials said.
"We had never had the Marietta/Parkersburg area with a predicted flood, just high water," said Simone Lewis, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston.
The Ohio River crested Monday afternoon just above 31 feet at Marietta; the flood stage at Marietta is 35 feet. The river also crested at Parkersburg Monday around 32 feet with a flood stage of 36 feet. The river was not expected to crest in the Mid-Ohio Valley until Tuesday.
The Ohio River was expected to crest at Parkersburg and Belpre 6 inches below the official flood stage of 36 feet today, according to the NWS.
Meteorologists with the NWS said the amount of rain in the area and surrounding areas was expected to affect how high waters would rise.
Because of the smaller amount of rain and snow melt in Pennsylvania and the West Virginia mountains, the rivers and streams did not overflow as much as predicted, Lewis said.
"It was always in question as to how much rain would fall," she said.
Because of these developments, the flood watch for Wood and Washington counties has been canceled.
"The flood watch was put in because of the rain expected and to prepare people of what could happen," Lewis said. "Because we did not get the weather expected the flood watch was no longer needed."
Emergency services for both sides of the river have said there are no road closures due to high water and there have been no problems throughout the weekend.
In Happy Valley, Wood County Emergency Services Director Ed Hupp said the area is "fine."
The new forecast for the area includes relatively dry conditions with some slight rain showers and temperatures in the mid-to-high 50s.
