Heavy downpours across Grenada County over the weekend delivered some of the most intense rainfall of October so far, with storm totals nearly doubling last year’s numbers for the same dates.
According to National Weather Service data, Grenada received 2.71 inches of rain on Saturday, Oct. 18, followed by another 1.63 inches on Sunday, Oct. 19, as a strong cold front pushed through north Mississippi. Last year, on those same dates, Grenada County registered a combined 1.45 inches, meaning this weekend’s storms brought nearly double the rainfall of October 2024.
Watches, warnings and hazards
The National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning on Saturday evening for Grenada, Montgomery and Webster counties as storms intensified ahead of the front. Gusty winds between 50 and 60 miles per hour were reported, and radar indicated occasional pea-size hail. The storms prompted urban and small stream flood advisories overnight for the City of Grenada and communities along Mississippi Highway 8, where drainage systems briefly overflowed.
Damage and Flooding Reports
Emergency officials said several roads, including Eli Drive and Paper Mill Road, experienced overnight flooding that receded by early Sunday morning. No injuries were reported, but a handful of downed tree limbs caused minor power interruptions in scattered neighborhoods near Elliott and Gore Springs. One homeowner along Old Highway 51 reported a fallen oak tree that caused roof damage early Sunday before crews arrived to clear debris from power lines and roadways. Residents across parts of Holcomb and western Grenada County said ditches ran full overnight as runoff collected quickly on already saturated soil. A few minor traffic accidents were also reported due to the heavy rains and flooding.
Grenada Lake Impact
The Grenada Lake pool level rose slightly following the weekend rainfall, measuring 207.12 feet on Monday morning,
Oct. 20, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That’s up roughly 2.6 feet from the start of the month (208.74 feet recorded Oct. 1) but still about 3 feet higher than the same time in October 2024, when levels hovered near 204.5 to 205 feet.
2024 Comparison
In October 2024, Grenada County recorded 4.03 inches of rain for the entire month. So far this October, rainfall has already exceeded 5.6 inches, largely due to this weekend’s storms. While flash flooding was localized, meteorologists say saturated ground could heighten the risk for runoff if additional rain arrives later this week.
The National Weather Service reports cooler, drier air is expected to settle across north Mississippi through midweek, stabilizing conditions after an active storm pattern that marked one of the wettest third weekends of October in recent memory.
