Raining in Detroit - Expressways and Homes Flooded

**Gistok** · September-02-21, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

NYC saw a widespread 7-8" and is near sea level.

Meanwhile, it seems all it takes is 2" for freeways to shut down and basements to flood in Detroit, despite being 600+ feet above sea level.

Elevation above sea lever probably has little to do with rain flooding. Manhattan is an island... so all the water probably skips the nearest treatment plant during a deluge, and heads to the nearest river no more than a mile or so away.

That's how it is with me in St. Clair Shores... if there's too much water, it gets chlorinated and goes directly into the lake. Unfortunately those living many miles from a lakeside/riverside pumping station don't have this luxury, and get basement flooding.

**EastsideAl** · September-02-21, 04:42 PM

I am in NYC for the US Open tennis tournament. Last night's flash flood was unreal. Like nothing I've ever seen before in my life, even those heavy rains in Detroit. A little before 9:30 there was a light rain falling but by 9:45 there was a deluge and several feet of water flowing down the street. I'm staying with friends in Queens in a building I used to live in and a woman who lived in a basement apartment here died. Her apartment filled with 5-6 feet of water in a matter of minutes. Several people here tried like hell to save her and get her out of her flooded apartment but it was futile.

**Zacha341** · September-02-21, 04:46 PM

^^^ That is so incredible and sad EA! To think you'd find yourself drowned in your own dwelling [[not at sea) that evening from the day of living your life normally. We must be so grateful for life and every breath.

**Zacha341** · September-02-21, 04:48 PM

Compelling points regarding elevation factors G. These are indeed cautionary times where nothing can be taken for granted! Too much water in some places, draught and fire in others.

Originally Posted by Gistok

Elevation above sea lever probably has little to do with rain flooding. Manhattan is an island... so all the water probably skips the nearest treatment plant during a deluge, and heads to the nearest river no more than a mile or so away...

**Zacha341** · September-03-21, 07:09 AM

Incredible images across the east coast...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...York-City.html

**GPCharles** · September-03-21, 08:29 AM

Not to worry - according to the Farmer's Almanac we are in for a very cold and dry winter.
Old Farmer's Almanac forecasts bitter cold Michigan winter [[detroitnews.com)

**MikeM** · September-04-21, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

NYC saw a widespread 7-8" and is near sea level.

Meanwhile, it seems all it takes is 2" for freeways to shut down and basements to flood in Detroit, despite being 600+ feet above sea level.

Lol - like it never floods in mountainous areas. Grosse Pointe got 8.2" of rain but hey, they should have planned for that back in 1925. Keep sticking your head in the sand.

**313WX** · September-04-21, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by MikeM

Lol - like it never floods in mountainous areas. Grosse Pointe got 8.2" of rain but hey, they should have planned for that back in 1925. Keep sticking your head in the sand.

I can't think of any other major cities above sea level that has the chronic flooding problems Detroit does with only a relatively small amount of rain.

**Gistok** · September-04-21, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

I can't think of any other major cities above sea level that has the chronic flooding problems Detroit does with only a relatively small amount of rain.

Well then you're not looking hard enough... most older cities in the USA have this and many other types of infrastructure problems.

One problem that may be unique to Detroit is that we have hundreds of miles of sewers in areas where there no longer are any houses. With the homes gone, any sewer issues would not be reported in those depopulated areas, since no lives there to report them. I wonder if anyone has done a study to determine the effects on these dead zones in the greater sewer system.

**313WX** · September-04-21, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Well then you're not looking hard enough... most older cities in the USA have this and many other types of infrastructure problems...

As the late great Whitney Houston would say: "I want to see the receipts!"

If you can find me another major city above sea level where entire sections of freeway/road turn into rivers and a large number of basements get flooded out every time a mere 2-3" of rain falls, I'll eat my hat.

**Satiricalivory** · September-04-21, 07:13 PM

Here's your receipt honey, time to eat your hat.

https://billypenn.com/2021/09/02/pho...-philadelphia/

**Pam** · September-21-21, 06:19 AM

Flood watch in effect until Thursday morning.

Weather Story

**Honky Tonk** · September-21-21, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Pam

Flood watch in effect until Thursday morning.

Weather Story

I saw the advisories earlier this morning.

https://forecast.weather.gov/showsig...1#.YUnc3_8pB0o

Looking butt-ugly...

https://radar.weather.gov/?settings=...YWwiOjAuNn19#/

**Jimaz** · September-21-21, 08:53 AM

Metro Detroit weather forecast for September 21, 2021 -- 7 a.m. Update

**MikeM** · September-21-21, 09:55 AM

GLWA is preparing to blame DPL ahead of time:

Power Quality Monitors Identify Power-Related Issue at Freud Pump Station

**Lowell** · September-21-21, 09:57 AM

My new favorite animated weather tracking site is https://zoom.earth

Be sure to turn on the wind overlay from the menu on the left. Steady stream of precipitation headed our way.
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**Honky Tonk** · September-21-21, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by MikeM

GLWA is preparing to blame DPL ahead of time:

Power Quality Monitors Identify Power-Related Issue at Freud Pump Station

My favorite part of the story "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE". This is the part I'm having trouble with. No one knew 2-3 days ago there was a power supply issue and started looking into it? This just popped up today before the impending rain? It's like dejavu all over again.

**MikeM** · September-21-21, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

My favorite part of the story "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE". This is the part I'm having trouble with. No one knew 2-3 days ago there was a power supply issue and started looking into it? This just popped up today before the impending rain? It's like dejavu all over again.

To quote Senator Howard Baker, "What did they know, and when did they know it?"

**Honky Tonk** · September-21-21, 11:06 AM

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**Jimaz** · September-21-21, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

My new favorite animated weather tracking site is https://zoom.earth

Be sure to turn on the wind overlay from the menu on the left....

Oh wow. Thanks for that.

The "Heat & Fire" overlay with wind is interesting for tracking fires out west. Beware that the fire data isn't real time though.

**Gistok** · September-21-21, 03:11 PM

The only good news... if you can call it that... is that the rainfall will be over several days... and not in a 2-3 hour period. Hope everyone's basements remain dry...

**Wheels** · September-21-21, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

As the late great Whitney Houston would say: "I want to see the receipts!"

If you can find me another major city above sea level where entire sections of freeway/road turn into rivers and a large number of basements get flooded out every time a mere 2-3" of rain falls, I'll eat my hat.

You would be hard pressed to find a major US city that this has never happened!

**Jimaz** · September-22-21, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

The only good news... if you can call it that... is that the rainfall will be over several days... and not in a 2-3 hour period. Hope everyone's basements remain dry...

I just now heard that Macomb County has no reports of basement flooding "at this time."

So yeah, it helps if early rain has time to flush out before combining with subsequent rain. They've also been more proactive about cleaning drains and catch basins before the storm. They said they have had a few releases of treated sewage. I think this info came from Candice Miller through WWJ.

**Gistok** · September-22-21, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

I just now heard that Macomb County has no reports of basement flooding "at this time."

So yeah, it helps if early rain has time to flush out before combining with subsequent rain. They've also been more proactive about cleaning drains and catch basins before the storm. They said they have had a few releases of treated sewage. I think this info came from Candice Miller through WWJ.

Yes, Candice Miller [Macomb County Drain Commissioner] has been very proactive in staying on top of the problems.

The bad news about no basement flooding is that... if the Detroit pumping/treatment plants are overloaded... Macomb County can't send its' storm/sewer water there, and treats overflow sewage/storm water with chlorine in Macomb County, and releases it into Lake St. Clair. Macomb County unfortunately has the "12 Towns" of Oakland County water runoff to add to its' discharge.

**Ray1936** · September-22-21, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Hope everyone's basements remain dry...

Not a problem here in the Las Vegas area. Two primary reasons: [1] The area only gets 4 inches of rain per year, widely scattered, and, [2], There are no basements in Las Vegas. All homes are built on slabs.