National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Areas of Severe Thunderstorms and Excessive Rainfall through This Weekend

A multi-day thunderstorm and heavy rain event will impact the south-central U.S. this Memorial Day weekend. Severe thunderstorms may produce large hail, severe gusts, and a possible tornado or two across portions of the central and southern Plains through Monday. The threat for heavy to excessive rainfall and possible flash flooding will return to the south-central U.S., especially in the Ozarks. 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.