SALEM, Va. – People across the Roanoke Valley have been keeping a close eye on river levels, including the Roanoke River, after Florence's heavy rains.
"It normally doesn't run like this," said Tom O'Meara, who lives near the Roanoke River in Salem. "Sometimes you can see the bottom, there's hardly anything in there. But this rain has really been, it's been crazy."
The National Weather Service reported the Roanoke River reached minor flood stage. Flood stage for the river is 10 feet. The river was reported at more than 11 feet late Monday afternoon.
"We should be OK," O'Meara said. "What happens, like I was saying, it goes around and then comes back up this way so you don't know. It's very unpredictable right now."
The river left Salem Park and parts of the Greenway in Salem under water. Crews closed East Riverside Drive at Tremont Road in Salem because the river spilled onto the roadway.
The National Weather Service expects the river to return to below flood stage overnight and into Tuesday morning.