NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Latest on Tropical Depression Cindy (all times local):
5 p.m.
The National Weather Service says a storm spreading across the Tennessee and Ohio valleys is winding down.
The weather service said at 5 p.m. that Cindy has lost tropical characteristics but heavy rain potential is moving east across the Ohio Valley and into Pennsylvania with severe thunderstorms forming south of Cindy.
The main threat will be moderate to heavy rain with some severe weather moving east heading into the central Appalachians through Friday night before moving off the East Coast on Saturday.
A cold front from the central part of the county is approaching the eastern U.S.
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4:15 p.m.
West Virginia residents and authorities have marked the anniversary of last year’s fatal flooding in that state even as they are bracing for a bout of severe weather associated with the remnants of a tropical storm.
A brief ceremony marking last year’s fatal flooding was held at noon Friday at the West Virginia Police Academy in Dunbar, where a bell was rung 23 times for those who died.
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin went to White Sulphur Springs for the dedication of a memorial for eight people who died there.
On Friday evening, Gov. Jim Justice planned to attend a candlelight service at Rainelle United Methodist Church in the area hardest-hit by the flooding. Five people in the town of 1,500 died.
Labeled a 1,000-year flood by the National Weather Service, the storm destroyed more than 2,100 homes statewide and damaged another 2,000.
“As time goes on we’re struggling to get through the after effects of what took place in the flood,” John Wyatt, a pastor from Rainelle, told West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
He’s been rebuilding his home the past year.
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2:40 p.m.
Heavy rainfall from the remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy has caused scattered street flooding across central and southern Indiana.
The National Weather Service issued flood warnings for most of the southern two-thirds of the state, with more than 3 inches of rain falling in places by midday Friday and minor flooding expected along some rivers.
Emergency crews helped some people from stranded vehicles in Muncie, including a nearly submerged SUV at a railroad underpass. Low-lying roads in many areas were being covered with water.
High winds early Friday peeled off part of the roof from New Prairie High School near South Bend. The school district’s superintendent says about 10 classrooms were damaged. No injuries were reported.
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2:35 p.m.
Remnants of Tropical Depression Cindy and a cold front moving into the Appalachian region from the northwest have knock down trees and caused scattered power outages in Tennessee and West Virginia.
Memphis Light Gas and Water reported that as many as 10,000 customers were without power Friday morning. Crews in Memphis cleared storm drains Thursday to help prevent flooding.
Appalachian Power reports 1,800 without electricity in West Virginia’s northern panhandle, where heavy rain fell Friday morning, and another 800 in Charleston.
Rain mixed with clouds and sunshine across the region.
The National Weather Service predicts more rain Friday afternoon and evening from the two systems colliding.
Flash flood watches remain in effect for All of Kentucky, most of West Virginia and north central and western Tennessee..
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10:40 a.m.
Flash flood watches are in effect until early Saturday in north central Tennessee, all of Kentucky and most of West Virginia as the remnants of a tropical storm head deeper inland. Others are in effect in the Mississippi and Ohio valleys.
The National Weather Service said Tropical Depression Cindy is continuing to produce heavy rain around the Mississippi Valley. It was centered about 75 miles (115 kilometers) north-northeast of Memphis at midday Friday.
Cindy formed as a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico earlier in the week, made landfall Thursday on the Texas-Louisiana line and was downgraded as it took aim at the nation’s interior and moved inland. A boy killed by debris in storm surf off Alabama was the only fatality reported so far in the storm, which spun off tornadoes and caused street flooding in many coastal areas.
In West Virginia, meteorologist Mike Zwier says about a half inch (12 millimeters) of rain has already fallen around the state recently.
Heavy rain is forecast to begin in West Virginia by late Friday afternoon, with general forecasts of 1-3 inches (25-75 millimeters) and up to 5 inches (125 millimeters) in spots. That’s from cold air from the Great Lakes colliding with Cindy’s remnants, clearing them from the region by Saturday.
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10:30 a.m.
Louisiana’s Office of State Parks says high water or damage from Tropical Storm Cindy has closed six parks in southern Louisiana.
A news release Friday said there was minimal damage, but crews are assessing repair needs.
Two parks south of Lafayette are closed because of high water over roads the parks. Those are Palmetto Island State Park in Abbeville and Cypremort (SIP-ruh-mort) Point State Park on Vermilion Bay.
In southeast Louisiana, affected parks are Tickfaw State Park in Springfield, Grand Isle State Park, Fairview-Riverside State Park in Madisonville, and day use at Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville. Fontainebleau’s cabins, campground and group camps remain open.
Officials say five parks should reopen Monday, with Tickfaw State Park reopening Tuesday.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says two boat launches at Pointe-aux-Chenes (point oh SHEN) Wildlife Management Area near Houma (HOH-much) are closed because of flooding.
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9 a.m.
Remnants of Tropical Depression Cindy began moving through Tennessee, knocking down trees and causing power outages.
Memphis Light Gas and Water reported that as many as 10,000 customers were without power Friday morning. Media report heavy rain and winds also were causing traffic problems. Crews in Memphis cleared storm drains Thursday to help prevent flooding.
The National Weather Service has predicted rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches (50 to 100 millimeters) in Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia, though isolated amounts of up to 6 inches (150 millimeters) are possible.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is staffing its operations center in Nashville on Friday and Saturday to coordinate any requests for assistance.
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8:15 a.m.
Forecasters are trying to determine how many tornadoes touched down in Alabama as remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy moved north from the Gulf Coast.
The National Weather Service says an EF-2 twister with winds as strong as 120 mph (120 kph) struck just outside Birmingham on Thursday. Several businesses were damaged and at least four people were hurt.
Forecasters also are checking damage at other locations in central and southern Alabama to determine whether tornadoes struck there.
The Storm Prediction Center says severe weather is still possible in an area reaching from the Deep South to western Pennsylvania as remnants of Cindy move northward.
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2 a.m.
Forecasters expect remnants of Tropical Depression Cindy to drench parts of Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia, bringing heavy rainfall, possible flash flooding and higher river and lake levels through the weekend.
The weather Friday was arriving on the anniversary of torrential rains and flooding that left 23 people dead in West Virginia a year ago.
National Weather Service officials in the three states said rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches (50 to 100 millimeters) were expected, with isolated amounts up to 6 inches (150 millimeters).
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is staffing its operations center in Nashville on Friday and Saturday to coordinate any requests for assistance.
In Memphis, crews worked Thursday to clear storm drains to help prevent street flooding.
Flash flood watches were in effect in much of Kentucky.
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