Flood Warning Issued for Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky Through Thursday Morning

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Paducah, KY, has issued a Flood Warning for portions of southern Illinois and western Kentucky. The alert was issued at 7:51 AM CST on March 5, 2026, following reports of excessive rainfall and ongoing flooding in the region.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts the following geographic regions:

• Southern Illinois Counties: Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, and Union.
• Western Kentucky Counties: Crittenden and Livingston.

Specific locations expected to experience flooding include Metropolis, Anna, Marion, Sturgis, Jonesboro, Vienna, Rosiclare, Goreville, Salem, Dongola, Golconda, Tamms, Karnak, Dixon Springs, New Columbia, Joy, Lake Of Egypt Area, Burna, Olive Branch, and Ware.

What You Should Do

Residents are urged to follow the safety mantra: “Turn around, don’t drown” when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. In hilly terrain, there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain; do not attempt to cross these and find an alternate route instead. Additionally, campers and hikers should avoid streams or creeks, which can become life-threatening during heavy rains.

Expected Conditions

As of 7:50 AM CST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated that heavy rain from thunderstorms has already resulted in 2 to 5 inches of accumulation. Additional rainfall amounts of up to 0.5 inches are possible. Streams continue to rise due to excess runoff, and it will take several hours for water to work through local drainage systems in urban areas.

Timeline

The Flood Warning is effective immediately and is currently set to expire at 11:00 AM CST on March 5, 2026.