The Pittsburgh region is experiencing some of its worst flooding in 13 years, with flood waters affecting roads, homes and businesses.
And more flooding is expected: The National Weather Service Saturday night issued a flood warning for the overnight hours into early Sunday.
At the Point, the Ohio River crested at 27.7 feet around 9 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, high enough to close the 10th Street Bypass, the “bathtub” area of I-376 and to start to impact the now-closed State Correctional Institute on the North Side.
The last time that the Ohio River rose this high at the Point was in January of 2005, when it rose to 28.43 feet, said Lee Hendricks, a meteorologist and hydrologist with the National Weather Service.
The Mon Wharf begins to flood at 18 feet and completely floods at 19.5 feet. The 10th Street Bypass floods at 22 feet, the Point State Park fountain goes under water at 24.5 feet and the “bathtub” section of I-376 floods at 25 feet.
At 28 feet, pumping operations would have begun on Neville Island, he said, and water would have affected the Wood Street T Station and Fort Pitt Boulevard.
Rick Daniels and his girlfriend Tracey Stiner drove up from Greensburg Saturday morning on their “date day” to check out the flooding at the Point and take a few pictures.
“It’s bad. I didn’t know it was going to be this high,” Mr. Daniels, 51, said looking at the submerged fountain around lunchtime before the expected rain and snow. “It’s as bad as I’ve seen it.”
On the way in, the couple had to detour around the Grant Street exit, which was closed because of the high waters.
If this snow has you a little down in the dumps... don't worry, this wild weather week has something for everyone.
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) February 17, 2018
Tuesday's highs will be challenging records! Yep, we're forecasting 70 for Pittsburgh! pic.twitter.com/7SFuu8thvL
East Liverpool, Ohio, residents Bruce and Pam Gibbs and their mixed breed border collie, Jae, were at the Point Saturday, about to step through the muck to get a closer look at the sunken fountain.
“It’s about the highest I’ve seen it,” Mr. Gibbs, a dentist, said of the water. He and his wife make the 50 minute drive from home to their condo in Gateway Towers, Downtown, most weekends to enjoy Pittsburgh’s restaurants and cultural activities.
Water is not expected to clear from the Mon Wharf parking lot until Wednesday afternoon, said Mr. Hendricks, noting that even after the water clears “it’s going to take a few days for them to clean that mess up.”
Flooding is impacting rivers throughout the region, with flood advisories on the Monongahela also in Charleroi, Elizabeth and Braddock and for the Ohio all the way into West Virginia.
Wheeling Island Stadium pic.twitter.com/zxXnn1vpiP
— Lee Gruber (@2grubs) February 17, 2018
Right now: The hotel at the casino is being evacuated due to high water. @WTOV9 @WheelingPolice @WheelingFD @wocema pic.twitter.com/zFwdjjllGs
— Crissy Clutter (@CrissyWTOV9) February 17, 2018
On Wheeling Island, the Wheeling Island casino announced Saturday morning that it would be closing for flooding. An employee there said that the racetrack was under water. Multiple streets on the Island were closing for flooding Saturday morning.
Other roadways were also affected by the rainfall. Saturday morning, the city of Pittsburgh closed a section of McArdle Roadway between the Liberty Bridge and Grandview Avenue because of a landslide.
More precipitation was coming down Saturday in the form of rain and snow. The National Weather Service in Moon recorded about 2 inches of snow as of 8:30 p.m. About 1 to 1½ inches fell in the South Hills and North Hills communities.
The weather service issued a winter weather advisory for Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene, Armstrong and Indiana counties through 4 a.m. Sunday.
Sunday should bring some “much needed dry weather,” Mr. Hendricks said, with highs in the mid-40s. And while the rain will return, temperatures will rise next week, possibly into the 70s on Tuesday.
Patricia Sabatini: PSabatini@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3066. Anya Sostek: asostek@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1308.
First Published: February 17, 2018, 4:21 p.m.
