Some of the worst flooding since 2010 hit the Tennessee Valley over the weekend. Just a few days later, more rain is coming back.
Nashville International Airport (ICAO code: BNA) was slammed by a daily record 5.75 inches of rainfall Saturday. Based on observations, it rained almost nonstop from 6 a.m. that day until 5 a.m. the next. Other parts of the region had up to 8 inches. Roads were closed, people were trapped in their homes and several people died.
The next round of wet weather will hit Tuesday night and Wednesday, dumping up to another 3 inches of rainfall in some areas.
Central and eastern Tennessee, including the Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville metropolitan areas, are under a flash flood watch until early Thursday morning. So is southeastern Kentucky. Flood warnings remain posted along the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, as well as many of their tributaries.
Waterways have receded since the weekend, but many were still above flood stage as of Tuesday morning. They may rise again, which could lead to roads and ramps being shut down again. Even if waterways don’t rise, additional rainfall soaking the saturated ground will produce runoff that could flood some routes.
Related: Deadly Tennessee flooding closes roads, forces evacuations
The flooding won’t likely have major impacts on freight markets down the road, but drivers, shippers and receivers should expect temporary delays.
Besides the Nashville metropolitan area, other places where flooding could remain an issue include Chattanooga, Knoxville and Memphis, Tennessee, as well as eastern Arkansas, southeastern Kentucky and northern portions of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
Look for weather updates throughout the week on the FreightWaves website and social media accounts.
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.
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