Thomas Tusser was a 16th-century English poet and farmer who offered one of the best known meteorological critiques, a growing explanation that has far outlived his literary works.
He once penned “Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry,” a practical guide to agriculture and household management. It served as both an instructional manual and a reflection of the agrarian practices of Tusser’s time.
Among those points was this:
“Sweet April showers do spring May Flowers.”
In the next few days, residents in north central Ohio may add a caveat as the jetstream launches its normal early spring northward lift.
“Those heavy showers also drown May flowers.”
The National Weather Service office in Cleveland has issued a flood watch for the entire region — including Richland, Ashland and Knox Counties — from Wednesday at 8 p.m. all the way through Sunday morning with four to six inches of rain expected in the next few days.
It’s not all coming from one storm system. That would be too simple for a spring weather outbreak.
There will be several systems rolling through the region, bringing moderate to heavy rain across the area, along with thunderstorms, high winds and the occasional hail (like the ice that fell in places around the area Wednesday morning).
If you would like to track rising waters in the area in real time, here are links:
Black Fork Mohican at Shelby
Clear Fork Mohican River at Bellville
Black Fork Mohican River at Loudonville
Kokosing River at Mount Vernon
If the area gets these type of powerful rains, motorists will likely see the normal places flood that often flood.
But did you know more people die due to flooding than from any other thunderstorm-related hazard?
And a lot of that death comes from drivers (and others) who don’t pay attention to flooded roads.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report more than half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water.
The next highest percentage of flood-related deaths is due to walking into or near flood waters. People underestimate the force and power of water. Many deaths occur in cars swept downstream. Many of these drownings are preventable.
Never drive around the barriers blocking a flooded road. The road may have collapsed under that water. A mere six inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult.
It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars and just two feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs and trucks.
Simply put, it is never safe to drive or walk into flood waters.
To learn more about flood safety, visit www.weather.gov/safety/flood for flood safety and preparedness information.
