SAINT LOUIS – Shortly before dawn Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service said their spotters around eastern Missouri were already reporting 6 to 10 inches of rain from overnight storms.
By 7am, the torrential rains had set an official record - more than 8-inches of rain had fallen since midnight. The National Weather Service said some parts of the region got 11 inches of rain.
As the morning rush started, the St. Louis region was in the middle of a massive storm system stretching from NW Missouri to Louisville, Kentucky.
Widespread flash flooding forced the closure of multiple roadways, including several stretches of I-70. Firefighters and other emergency personnel conducted numerous water rescues of people trapped in their cars and homes by the flooding.
Nearly every major interstate had closures for a time due to high water and metro cities were asking residents to stay home if possible, due to an overwhelming demand on emergency services.
The St. Clair County Animal Services facility flooded with a few inches of water, and now looks to shelter even more animals. In St. Peters, several dogs and puppies drowned at the Stray Paws Adoptables shelter. That facility reports about 14 bigger dogs were rescued.