A strong frontal boundary pushed across southeast Ohio late on the 3rd.  By dawn on the 4th, the frontal zone stalled just to the south.  Late on the 4th and into the 5th, a low pressure wave lifted northeast, along this boundary, and through the Ohio River Valley.Rains of 1.5 to 3.3 inches fell on saturated ground, during about a 36 hour time span.  One rain maximum extended northeast from the Scioto River Valley, across the northern half of Perry County, then continued northeast into the Muskingum River Valley.  Another maximum of rain extended out of central Vinton County, across central Athens County, and into central and northern Washington County.  McArthur measured 3.3 inches of rain for the event.  Other rain measurements from cooperative observers included 2.6 inches at Athens, 2.3 inches at McConnelsville, 2.2 inches from Nelsonville, 2 inches at Marietta, 1.9 inches at Beverly, 1.6 inches from both New Lexington and Jackson.     Widespread small stream flooding occurred on Sunday the 4th and Monday the 5th.  In Jackson County, the stream flooding was limited to townships near the Vinton County border.  Water was 2 to 3 feet deep in the streets of Glenford of northern Perry County.  Water and debris forced numerous road closures.   As the water receded, cleanup was complicated by some ice formation. River flooding followed on the Muskingum, the Hocking, and on the Ohio.  The swollen rivers also caused feeder streams to have backwater flooding.  During the morning of the 5th, the Muskingum River crested at McConnelsville of Morgan County around 12.7 feet.  Flood stage is 11 feet.  This was the highest water level at McConnelsville since the 12.8 feet back in August, 1980.  About 27 homes and 1 business along the river in Morgan County sustained at least major damage.  All total, about 77 homes in Morgan County, were affected to some degree.         At Athens, the Hocking River crested around 21.3 feet about midday on the 6th.  Flood stage is 20 feet.  The floods of 1997 and 1998 were higher at Athens.  The county engineer reported about a dozen road slippages and a dozen road washouts on roads in Athens County.  Near dawn on the 6th, York Township firemen rescued a woman whose vehicle was washed into the Hocking River from County Route 4.  She called 911 on her cell phone, while the water was rushing into her vehicle.  She got outside and on to the roof, but was swept off the vehicle by the rushing water.   She was in the water for nearly 45 minutes, with air temperatures in the 20s.  When rescued by boat, her head was poking out of the water and one arm was hanging on to a brush pile.  The fire chief commented, about how lucky she was.  He said the spot where she drove into the water is usually a dead zone for cell phone service, but somehow she got a signal.      The Ohio River crested at Marietta at 36.8 feet during the afternoon of the 6th.  Flood stage is 34 feet.  The flood of January 1996 crested at 39.3 feet.  Further down the Ohio River, the crest at Racine was 44.7 feet, plus near 47.3 feet at Pomeroy, both on the 7th.In Washington County, the heaviest flood damage was along the Muskingum River, plus the usual low lying sections in the city of Marietta. Three occupied dwellings were destroyed in Washington County.  Over 200 dwellings were affected to some degree.  Local fire departments in Washington County performed several rescues, most of which were along County Route 32, known as the Muskingum River Road.  Athens, Morgan, Perry, and Washington Counties were included in a major federal disaster declaration.  See FEMA disaster 1507 for the specifics.

Flood in VINTON, OHIO
From 04-JAN-04 11:00:00 to 06-JAN-04 23:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 150K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Flood in WASHINGTON, OHIO
From 04-JAN-04 11:00:00 to 07-JAN-04 04:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 500K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Flood in ATHENS, OHIO
From 04-JAN-04 11:00:00 to 07-JAN-04 14:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 300K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Flood in MORGAN, OHIO
From 04-JAN-04 11:00:00 to 06-JAN-04 23:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 650K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Flood in PERRY, OHIO
From 04-JAN-04 11:00:00 to 06-JAN-04 23:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 100K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Flood in JACKSON, OHIO
From 04-JAN-04 11:00:00 to 06-JAN-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Flood in MEIGS, OHIO
From 05-JAN-04 11:00:00 to 07-JAN-04 14:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT