- The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Detroit and surrounding counties until Wednesday evening, with the remnants of Hurricane Beryl forecast to bring up to 4 inches of rain to some areas.
- The Great Lakes Water Authority and FEMA have advised residents in low-lying areas to prepare for potential flooding, including removing valuables from basements and avoiding areas where electrical outlets and wiring may be underwater.
- Hurricane Beryl, a Category 5 storm, caused power outages and extensive damage in Texas and the Caribbean, highlighting the increased likelihood of extreme storms due to climate change.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Detroit until Wednesday evening, as the remnants of Hurricane Beryl bring heavy rainfall.
Parts of Southeast Michigan could see as much as 4 inches of rain, with the heaviest precipitation falling along the M-59 and I-69 corridors.
The flood watch includes Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw and St. Clair counties. A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding; it does not mean flooding is imminent.
Dowagiac has already seen street flooding in Southwest Michigan after receiving 3.3 inches of rain, and parts of Macomb Township and East Lansing have also experienced roadway flooding.
On Tuesday, the Great Lakes Water Authority issued an alert for those who may be vulnerable to flooding, saying the system is working as designed but that predicted rainfall could exceed the regional system’s capacity and create flooding
“GLWA is asking residents in low-lying areas that are prone to flooding during heavy rainfall to remain vigilant and out of an abundance of caution, to remove items of value from their basements. It is also helpful if residents do not run their washing machines and dishwashers during heavy rain events,” David Mehram, GLWA chief operating officer for the wastewater operating services, said in the statement.
Consumers Energy provides a webpage with safety tips for households that may experience flooding. These include staying away from electrical devices and appliances while standing in water and avoiding areas where electric outlets and wiring may be underwater.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued weather warnings for the Midwest, advising residents to monitor local news and weather reports.
“Flooding doesn’t just have the potential to cause costly damage, it can also be life-threatening. Being prepared can save your life and give you peace of mind,” FEMA Region 5 Regional Administrator Tom Sivak said in a press release.
Residents should charge mobile devices, stay away from fallen power lines and trees, and avoid walking, swimming or driving through flood water, the agency stated.
The NWS Detroit office’s forecast shows wind gusts on Wednesday could climb as high as 24 miles per hour. Rain is expected to taper off early Thursday morning.
Hurricane Beryl has left 2 million people without power in Texas after causing widespread destruction in the Caribbean as a Category 5 storm, killing 11 people. Scientists say extremely hot ocean temperatures caused by climate change supercharged the storm, creating one of the earliest Category 5 storms on record.
“I don’t think anyone would expect an outlier like this to happen, it exceeded expectations,” Brian McNoldy, a climate scientist at the University of Miami, told The Guardian. “With a climate-change influenced ocean, we are making extreme storms like this more likely to happen.”