rain.

Today: rain.
Lots and lots of rain.

Waters are expected to crest at 11 p.m. tonight. Here's WSMV's must-see photo of I-24.

10:00 p.m. update: Still raining. It's dark and the news is covering radar maps because the city of Columbia is in a tornado warning. Rain is supposed to let up in Nashville for a few hours and then start back up again as the sun comes up. Storms west of us are producing hail.

State of Emergency declared for city of Nashville. Nolensville at Harding is flooded, as well as the Walmart parking lot. (See inside Walmart at Nolensville and Harding.) Reports of cars being submerged to their roofs. (1.5 miles south of my house. I'm still high and dry. Sun is setting.)
Major news coverage sites: News Channel 5, WSMV, The Tennessean, News 2, CNN, MSNBC

7:00 p.m. update: Mayor Karl Dean just gave a press report telling everyone to stay home. Shelters are being set up for people whose homes are flooded or who cannot make it home. Two people have drowned (one being that man who was hanging onto the phone pole in Antioch). TV just showed rescue personnel in a boat save a trucker from the water on I-24. There is a Jimmy Buffet concert downtown but officials report downtown is still in pretty good shape and they anticipate most concert goers to be foot traffic.

6:30 p.m. update: Water has receded from my yard. I'm high and dry. Brief break in the rain. Other parts of Nashville are much much worst. Pictures and video on news coverage is unbelievable. Lots of cars abandoned on flooded roads. One man hanging onto a telephone pole in Antioch. TV is watching him hang on, but no boats are available ... Other people are leaving their flooded houses to stay in hotels. Mayor Karl Dean is telling everyone to stay home. Sun sets in an hour. Pray for Nashville and surrounding Middle Tennessee areas.

4:15 p.m. update: Rain is slowing up a little where I'm at, but just south of here in Cool Springs, things are looking pretty bad. They're stopping people on I-65 and/or re-routing it.

• Here's a photo: http://twitpic.com/1k20lh
• I-65N & I-65S are flooded at Concord Rd. Cars getting off by way of the entrance ramps. http://twitpic.com/1k2l61
• Brentwood Family YMCA: http://yfrog.com/j9tkdj
• Another flood photo: http://tweetphoto.com/20697228
• Flooding near a Hardee's: http://twitpic.com/1k2w1c
• Floating cars on Interstate 24. http://yfrog.com/e7hwgj
• Cars swimming. http://tweetphoto.com/20707914
• I-24 interchange at Bell Rd closed: http://yfrog.com/cbpgmj
  
• Click HERE for a slideshow of photos from WSMV viewers. 
• Click HERE to browse TDOT SmartWay cameras of interstates.
• 30 people are reported stranded at Carnton Plantation in Franklin. Police are working on a rescue.
• Downtown Riverfront Park: http://twitpic.com/1k4dnj
• And here's an unrelated photo of Miles today. (So cute!)

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I had a tub of Miles' cat food sitting on the back porch and the wind dumped it. Then the rain soaked it. Now Miles sits at the window and watches the birds eat his food.

They just announced on the news that police in Franklin are performing a water rescue at a Burger King. That's intense. I'd consider my house to be relatively elevated, but I'm ready for the rain to stop ... I don't think that will be happening anytime soon. The May rainfall average is 5.07 inches. I'm pretty sure we've exceeded that. I left a couple gallon buckets outside and they are about to overflow.

My dad and I buried the downspout a couple weeks ago. He called to ask if it was draining well. You know, like if it's moving along and not forming a lake at the end. Well ...

2:30 p.m. - Front yard/driveway.

This isn't supposed to stop until Monday morning, so we're just getting started. I'll keep updating.

nashville flood flooding pictures floating cars I-24 interstate 24 drowning Genesis 9:11