Posted 11:41 pm Wednesday, March 21, 2012
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Roads Flood As Tyler Receives More Than 3 Inches Of Rain
By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer
A slow-moving cold front drenched the state with much-needed rain Tuesday, but it also led to flooded roads, a slew of accidents, power outages and several structure fires caused by lightning strikes.
KYTX CBS19 Meteorologist Doc Deason said Tuesday afternoon the area received a little more than 3 inches of rain since midnight Tuesday.
Staff Writer
A slow-moving cold front drenched the state with much-needed rain Tuesday, but it also led to flooded roads, a slew of accidents, power outages and several structure fires caused by lightning strikes.
KYTX CBS19 Meteorologist Doc Deason said Tuesday afternoon the area received a little more than 3 inches of rain since midnight Tuesday.
“At the airport we got 3.13 inches and across from the mall we got about 3.28 inches,” he said.
Deason said the rain would add about a foot-and-a-half to area lakes and really take a bite out of the rain deficits seen across the area in the past several years.
Deason said the rain would add about a foot-and-a-half to area lakes and really take a bite out of the rain deficits seen across the area in the past several years.
“We are up on our year-to-date totals, but we will never gain back the almost 30 inches of rain we lost during 2010 and 2011,” he said.
However, city of Tyler officials said even with the rain that Lake Tyler was still 3 feet below normal as of Tuesday afternoon.
However, city of Tyler officials said even with the rain that Lake Tyler was still 3 feet below normal as of Tuesday afternoon.
Susan Guthrie, the city's external relations director, said officials are continuing to monitor the lake levels and would revisit them today, but water restrictions would more than likely remain in effect.
“Lake Palestine's level came up and now the lake is only 42 hundredths below normal. Lake Tyler does not have as big a run off shed as do other area lakes so it really takes a rain to sit right on top of the lake for it to fill back up,” she said.
“Lake Palestine's level came up and now the lake is only 42 hundredths below normal. Lake Tyler does not have as big a run off shed as do other area lakes so it really takes a rain to sit right on top of the lake for it to fill back up,” she said.
City and county crews worked feverishly around East Texas on Tuesday as they cleared roads of downed trees and set up barricades to turn away motorists from flooded areas.
Firefighters from multiple departments fought fires in Flint-Gresham, Tyler, Lindale, New Harmony and Hideaway Lake believed to have been ignited by lightning strikes.
Fire crews and law enforcement officials worked multiple accidents as a result of the slick roads.
Kirby Hill said he was driving his pickup on Loop 323 near North Broadway Avenue when the 18-wheeler beside him lost control.
“Man it was scary. I have never been in a wreck before and I saw that truck go sideways and I just turned my steering wheel to the left and yelled ‘Oh, God,'” he said.
Hill said he was not hurt in the accident and despite the semi being totaled, officials on scene said the driver was not injured.
With the rains and high winds came the power outages and in Smith, Anderson, Cherokee and Wood counties, ONCOR had 2,100 people without electricity for several hours.
“About 4 a.m. was the peak of the storm for us and we had right at 2,100 without power. By noon we had all but 100 back online,” Charles Hill, ONCOR manager, said.
Deason said that in the next few days the area could see some scattered showers, but the next big rain event was not in the near future.
Firefighters from multiple departments fought fires in Flint-Gresham, Tyler, Lindale, New Harmony and Hideaway Lake believed to have been ignited by lightning strikes.
Fire crews and law enforcement officials worked multiple accidents as a result of the slick roads.
Kirby Hill said he was driving his pickup on Loop 323 near North Broadway Avenue when the 18-wheeler beside him lost control.
“Man it was scary. I have never been in a wreck before and I saw that truck go sideways and I just turned my steering wheel to the left and yelled ‘Oh, God,'” he said.
Hill said he was not hurt in the accident and despite the semi being totaled, officials on scene said the driver was not injured.
With the rains and high winds came the power outages and in Smith, Anderson, Cherokee and Wood counties, ONCOR had 2,100 people without electricity for several hours.
“About 4 a.m. was the peak of the storm for us and we had right at 2,100 without power. By noon we had all but 100 back online,” Charles Hill, ONCOR manager, said.
Deason said that in the next few days the area could see some scattered showers, but the next big rain event was not in the near future.
