BELLVILLE — Nearly three inches of rain have accumulated in Bellville since Wednesday at noon, according to the National Weather Service.
Close to an inch and a half of that total has fallen within the past 24 hours as of 4 p.m. Saturday, according to National Weather Service measurements.
Several roadways in Bellville, including State Route 13 and State Route 97, were closed Saturday morning due to flood waters.
Both re-opened as of 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, according to Bellville Mayor Teri Brenkus — who warned residents on Facebook that more rain is expected Saturday night into Sunday morning, which could lead to more road closures.
Several local businesses were unable to open their doors near downtown Bellville on Saturday morning. Other communities throughout Richland County have received significant rainfall since heavy rains began Wednesday.
According to the National Weather Service’s local area rainfall monitoring, nearly an inch and a half of rain has accumulated within the past 24 hours in Shelby and Mansfield has received about an inch and a quarter in that same time frame.
More rain forecasted Saturday into Sunday
More rain is forecasted for Saturday evening into Sunday morning. A flood watch issued by the National Weather Service in Cleveland remains in effect for Richland County until Sunday morning at 8 a.m.
A high of 38 degrees is forecasted for tomorrow, creating the possibility for snow to be mixed in with rain showers. The National Weather Service predicts snow accumulation “of less than a half inch” is possible Sunday and Sunday night.
If you would like to track rising waters in the area and surrounding counties in real time, here are links:
— Black Fork Mohican at Shelby