— As much of Tropical Storm Hermine made its way into northeastern Oklahoma, the National Weather Service placed the area under a flood watch which remains through this morning.

No reports of flooding in Muskogee County had been made by midday Wednesday, said Muskogee County Emergency Management Director Jeff Smith.

“If rain persists  — they’re calling for 3 1/2 or 4 inches of rain over the next couple of days — that could change,” Smith said. “If flooding does occur, we’ll get out there and get some roads closed.”

If 4 inches comes over two days, there won’t be a problem, he said.

“If 4 inches comes in a couple of hours — there will be a problem,” Smith said.

City employees repaired a hole in a water pipe in the 4700 Block of West Broadway in rain and slosh Wednesday.

Byron Eby used a trackhoe to push the mud back over the repaired pipe and fill the hole. It looked like chocolate pudding jiggling as he kept patting the top of it.

When a water line breaks, it has to be fixed, rain or no rain, said warehouse helper Kirk Cobb, who helped shovel the mud.

City Emergency Management Director Jimmy Moore said the usual places inside the city that normally flood could have some flooding in the next two days. He said he didn’t anticipate any flooding Wednesday.

“I’m more concerned with tornadoes spawning — more concerned about the possibility of severe weather,” he said.

The southern part of the county, around Warner, has been the driest by far of anywhere in the county, Smith said.

“We spent all weekend long around Shady Grove in McIntosh County fighting flames,” Smith said.

“We saw it so hot (in south Muskogee County) that trees just combusted.”

If the rain continues for two days it will help farmers and ranchers, who will start seeing a lot of grass grow. They’ll have to start seeing some growth to be able to get another cut of hay, he said.

The rains have been spotty across the county, said Brian Hisey, county executive director of the Farm Services Agency, a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Some areas in Muskogee County received a lot less rain than others, he said.

In some areas, hay yields were below normal by as much as 20-30 percent, Hisey said.

Reach Donna Hales at 684-2923 or dhales@muskogeephoenix.com.