Politics & Government

Forecast: Fox Flooding in Batavia Likely to Ease After Saturday

The National Weather Service river flood warnings will continue, but the river is expected to crest over the weekend, which promises to be sunny on Saturday and some clouds Sunday.

Officials say monitoring the cresting Fox River will be crucial in the coming days in terms of the response to Batavia flooding.

The National Weather Service, as of 3:30 p.m. Thursday, the Fox River was more than 3.21 feet above flood stage.

Kane County Office of Emergency Management estimates the Fox River should crest by Saturday, April 20.

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The river’s crest — it’s highest point, or the peak of the flood level — could be affected by more rain, which would mean a greater crest that probably would arrive later than is forecast now.

While a second wave of storms originally was predicted to follow the waves of thunderstorms that raked northern Illinois on Wednesday night through early Thursday, the forecast was revised Thursday, and now only minimal rain was expected. Today’s forecast is for a shower and cooler weather, with sunny skies on Saturday.

Find out what's happening in Bataviawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

More river data can be found at www.stcharlesil.gov/flood. Select “Early Warning Flood Threat” from the “Other Sites: Related Info” menu.

 

Local forecast: AccuWeather

Flood Warning Continues

In the meantime, the National Weather Services flood warnings for the Fox River Valley continue, although one — an areal flood warning for much of the regions — expires at 7:30 a.m. Friday. The National Weather Service defines an areal flood warning as one “normally issued for flooding that develops more gradually, usually from prolonged and persistent moderate to heavy rainfall.  This results in a gradual ponding or buildup of water in low-lying, flood prone areas, as well as small creeks and streams.”

By contrast, flash flood warnings are issued for flooding that may occur within six hours of a weather event.

But while the areal flood warning is set to expire early today, two river flood warnings from the National Weather Service remain in effect “until further notice,” cresting at 13.4 feet by Sunday afternoon.

One is a flood warning at the Algonquin tailwater, where at 7:30 p.m. Thursday the river’s stage was 11.9 feet; flood stage there is 9.5 feet. “Moderate flooding is occurring and major flooding is forecast. … The river will continue rising to near 13.4 feet by Sunday afternoon then begin falling.”

The second flood warning is for the river at Mongomery, where at 7:45 p.m. Thursday the stage was 15.0 feet; flood stage there is 13.0 feet. “Moderate flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast. … The river will continue to fall to a stage of 14.2 feet by Saturday morning.”


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