Heavy to excessive rainfall may produce areas of flooding Friday and Friday night from central Texas into the lower Mississippi Valley. Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms are expected from central Texas to middle Tennessee and central Kentucky Friday afternoon into early Friday night. Large hail and damaging winds are the main threats. Read More >
Remembering the November 1985 "Election Day" Flood
November 2015 marks 30 years since the historic "Election Day" flood of 1985.
NWS Baltimore/Washington is remembering this event through a story journal available here.
Many stream gauging stations in our area of responsibility reached record or near-record flood levels during the 1985 flood. A list of all locations that exceeded flood stage, and their historical ranking, follows:
| Location | Flood Stage | 1985 Crest | Historical Rank | Record Flood Now |
| Georges Creek at Franklin (Allegany County, MD) |
8 feet | 10.78 feet (11/4) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 6th highest |
12.77 feet (9/6/1996) |
| NB Potomac River near Cumberland (Allegany County, MD) |
17 feet | 18.85 feet (11/5) |
Then: 11th highest Now: 13th highest |
29.20 feet (June 1889) |
| Potomac River near Paw Paw (Allegany County, MD) |
25 feet | 53.58 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood* Now: Record flood* |
53.58 feet (11/5/1985) |
| Potomac River at Point of Rocks (Frederick County, MD) |
16 feet | 36.28 feet (11/7) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 5th highest |
41.03 feet (3/19/1936) |
| NB Potomac River at Steyer (Garrett County, MD) |
9 feet | 13.14 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
13.14 feet (11/5/1985) |
| NB Potomac River at Kitzmiller (Garrett County, MD) |
9 feet | 14.85 feet (11/5) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 2nd highest |
16.50 feet (10/15/1954) |
| Savage River near Bloomington (Garrett County, MD) |
N/A | 7.81 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record level Now: Record level |
7.81 feet (11/4/1985) |
| Potomac River at Little Falls (Montgomery County, MD) |
10 feet | 17.99 feet (11/7) |
Then: 5th highest Now: 6th highest |
28.10 feet (3/19/1936) |
| Potomac River at Hancock (Washington County, MD) |
30 feet | 41.20 feet (11/6) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 2nd highest |
47.60 feet (3/18/1936) |
| North River near Stokesville (Augusta County, VA) |
N/A | 19.80 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record level Now: Record level |
19.80 feet (11/5/1985) |
| North River near Burketown (Rockingham County, VA) |
11 feet | 35.85 feet (11/5) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 2nd highest |
36.70 feet (9/6/1996) |
| Middle River near Grottoes (Augusta County, VA) |
12 feet | 33.09 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: 2nd highest |
35.62 feet (9/7/1996) |
| South River at Waynesboro (City of Waynesboro, VA) |
9.5 feet | 15.30 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
15.30 feet (11/4/1985) |
| South River near Dooms (City of Waynesboro, VA) |
11 feet | 14.03 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record flood Now: 2nd highest |
14.25 feet (9/6/1996) |
| SF Shenandoah River near Lynnwood (Rockingham County, VA) |
16 feet | 29.46 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: 2nd highest |
30.84 feet (9/7/1996) |
| SF Shenandoah River near Luray (Page County, VA) |
14 feet | 26.72 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: 2nd highest |
26.95 feet (9/7/1996) |
| SF Shenandoah River at Front Royal (Warren County, VA) |
12 feet | 32.43 feet (11/6) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
34.80 feet (10/16/1942) |
| NF Shenandoah River at Cootes Store (Rockingham County, VA) |
15 feet | 25.13 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
27.86 feet (9/6/1996) |
| NF Shenandoah River at Mt. Jackson (Shenandoah County, VA) |
13 feet | 17.79 feet (11/5) |
Then: 3rd highest Now: 4th highest |
22.17 feet (9/6/1996) |
| NF Shenandoah River near Strasburg (Warren County, VA) |
17 feet | 27.37 feet (11/5) |
Then: 3rd highest Now: 5th highest |
32.27 feet (9/7/1996) |
| Passage Creek near Buckton (Warren County, VA) |
9 feet | 10.45 feet (11/5) |
Then: 6th highest Now: Not in top 10 |
15.89 feet (9/6/1996) |
| Rappahannock River at Remington (Fauquier County, VA) |
15 feet | 19.73 feet (11/4) |
Then: 6th highest Now: Not in top 10 |
~30.00 feet (10/16/1942) |
| Rapidan River near Ruckersville (Madison County, VA) |
14 feet | 14.72 feet (11/5) |
Then: 7th highest Now: 8th highest |
31.30 feet (6/27/1995) |
| Robinson River near Locust Dale (Madison County, VA) |
12 feet | 20.17 feet (11/5) |
Then: 3rd highest Now: 5th highest |
23.92 feet (9/6/1996) |
| Rapidan River near Culpeper (Culpeper County, VA) |
13 feet | 22.52 feet (11/5) |
Then: 6th highest Now: 8th highest |
30.40 feet (6/28/1995) |
| Smith Creek near New Market (Shenandoah County, VA) |
8 feet | 13.01 feet (11/5) |
Then: 3rd highest Now: 6th highest |
17.62 feet (9/6/1996) |
| Battle Run near Laurel Mills (Rappahannock County, VA) |
11 feet | 12.46 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
14.40 feet (6/27/1995) |
| Hazel River near Rixeyville (Culpeper County, VA) |
16 feet | 24.79 feet (11/4) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 4th highest |
31.80 feet (10/15/1942) |
| Tye River near Lovingston (Nelson County, VA) |
13 feet | 14.46 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 4th highest |
~29.00 feet (8/20/1969) |
| Piney River at Piney River (Nelson County, VA) |
11 feet | 12.63 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
13.80 feet (8/20/1969) |
| Rockfish River near Greenfield (Nelson County, VA) |
12 feet | 13.24 feet (11/4) |
Then: Not in top 10 Now: Not in top 10 |
31.20 feet (8/20/1969) |
| Mechums River near White Hall (Albemarle County, VA) |
11 feet | 21.11 feet (11/5) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 5th highest |
30.30 feet (10/15/1942) |
| Moormans River near Free Union (Albemarle County, VA) |
14 feet | 20.41 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 5th highest |
22.28 feet (6/28/1995) |
| Patterson Creek near Headsville (Mineral County, WV) |
9 feet | 11.17 feet (11/5) |
Then: 9th highest Now: Not in top 10 |
~13.00 feet (10/15/1942) |
| SB Potomac River at Franklin (Pendleton County, WV) |
7 feet | 22.58 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
22.58 feet (11/4/1985) |
| SB Potomac River near Petersburg (Grant County, WV) |
14 feet | 21.80 feet (11/5) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
22.83 feet (6/17/1949) |
| SFSB Potomac River at Brandywine (Pendleton County, WV) |
10 feet | 18.42 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
18.42 feet (11/4/1985) |
| SFSB Potomac River near Moorefield (Hardy County, WV) |
10 feet | 19.99 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
19.99 feet (11/5/1985) |
| SB Potomac River near Springfield (Hampshire County, WV) |
15 feet | 44.22 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
44.22 feet (11/5/1985) |
| Cacapon River near Great Cacapon (Morgan County, WV) |
9 feet | 21.95 feet (11/5) |
Then: 7th highest Now: 7th highest |
30.10 feet (3/18/1936) |
| Shenandoah River at Millville (Jefferson County, WV) |
10 feet | 25.60 feet (11/6) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 5th highest |
32.40 feet (10/16/1942) |
Note: According to water marks and area residents, levels at Paw Paw were comparable in the flood of 1936; however, at that time, readings were taken 5 miles upstream in Okonoko, WV.
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