Washington

Last week, heavy rain moved through Washington County, bringing several inches of rainfall and flooding to parts of the area. At one point, much of the county was under a flood watch that remained in effect until Sunday morning.

Rain fell for nearly two and a half days, beginning Thursday morning and continuing through late Saturday night. According to reports, parts of the county received between 3 and 5 inches of rain, leading to flooding in several areas.

While heavy rain had been expected, some areas received more rainfall than originally anticipated. Flash flood warnings were issued for portions of the county and remained in effect for about 24 hours. Even after the warnings expired late Friday night, rain continued throughout Saturday.

Kalona and Wellman received about three inches of rain, while other areas of the county, including Washington and Ainsworth, received approximately 4 to 5 inches.

In Washington, the city placed cones and barricades along Milwaukee Road near downtown underneath the bridge after water pooled on the roadway. The closure was intended to prevent drivers from entering the flooded area and potentially hydroplaning or becoming stuck in the water.

Flooding was also reported along Trio Court in Washington, where water covered portions of the street. During the flooding Thursday, some residents who live along the street took the opportunity to play in the water.

Several other roads were blocked at different points during the heavy rainfall, including 130th Street, Kiwi Avenue, Orange Avenue and Poplar Avenue.

The severe weather also caused power outages across Washington County. According to reports, approximately 1,500 residents lost power. Service was eventually restored, with outages lasting approximately seven to 12 hours in some areas.

After several days of heavy rain last week, conditions are expected to be much drier this week, with warm and dry weather returning to the area.