Marion County is looking at the threat of heavy rains and flash flooding in the wake of Tropical Storm Cristobal, and Columbia officials are recommending sandbagging downtown.
The National Weather Service in Jackson said Saturday that tropical storm winds could begin making an impact as early as Saturday evening as the system moves closer to landfall. Because the storm is asymmetrical, the heavy rains and winds will arrive in advance and will extend to well east of the storm.
The heavy rainfall is expected late Sunday night into Monday morning. With the heavy rainfalls is the elevated threat of flash flooding.
Columbia Police Chief Michael Kelly recommends the downtown area, which is prone to flash flooding, to sandbag building entrances as a precaution. The city pump is also ready to help alleviate flooding downtown.
At the police briefing this afternoon, Kelly instructed his officers if it appears water is pooling up downtown to go ahead to block off the streets to keep vehicles from driving in the water causing waves which can affect the businesses.
“It appears to be a major rain event for us,” Kelly said. “The good news it doesn’t look like it something we haven’t already dealt with this year already.”
The current path has not changed much than has been previously reported with Cristobal expected to make landfall sometime Sunday evening along the Louisiana Gulf Coast.
