HEAVY RAINS BRING NEW FLOODING, PROLONG HIGH WATER ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER

May 4, 2001 — Heavy rains in the Mississippi River Valley over the past few days and forecasts of continued rain through the weekend have prompted NOAA's National Weather Service to call for slight rises on the Mississippi, with other rivers rising to flood stage. (Click NOAA image for larger view of flooded house along Mississippi River just southeast of Red Wing, Minn.

The rains have contributed to new flooding on the Missouri River in Nebraska, the Illinois River in Illinois, and the Des Moines River in Iowa.

Some of the heaviest rains fell Wednesday in west-central Iowa, posing flood problems for the Des Moines area and surrounding communities on the Racoon and Des Moines rivers. Some of the worst low-land and small stream flooding occurred in Calhoun and Sac counties, with at least 16 streams expected to flood as a result.

Storms this weekend will drop additional rain on saturated areas from central Kansas through northern Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa. Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin are expected to escape the bulk of the rain, with no major problems anticipated from showers and thunderstorms Saturday night and Sunday. Forecasts called for Iowa to receive locally heavy rain Friday and more showers and thunderstorms Saturday night.

Forecasters said the heaviest rains were expected in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Heavy thunderstorms were expected Friday into Saturday across much of Kansas with 1-2 inch totals being common. Missouri's forecast for the same period called for heavy rain and local flooding all weekend, with some storms becoming severe on Sunday. Central and southern Nebraska can expect heavy rains and thunderstorms from Friday night into Monday.

Richard Schwerdt, deputy chief of meteorological services at the National Weather Service's Central Region Headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., said significantly heavier rains could be expected in some locations in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. "Imbedded in these thunderstorms producing 1-3 inches of rain, you'll have local pockets going up to five inches and possibly more," Schwerdt said.

Schwerdt said local flash flooding is possible in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska this weekend.

Major flooding continues on the Mississippi River from Dubuque, Iowa, to Saverton, Mo. The weather service said the heavy rains will result in renewed crests through the weekend from Dubuque to Keokuk, Iowa, but at levels below earlier crests.

The Quad Cities Weather Service Forecast Office in Davenport issued a flood warning Thursday for the Iowa River at Marengo, where the river is expected to rise above the 14-foot flood stage Saturday morning. Measured at 9.4 feet Thursday afternoon, the Iowa is expected to crest at Marengo early Sunday morning around 16.1 feet. The Des Moines forecast office warned of major flooding occurring on the Des Moines River near the Humbolt Water Plant, where the river crested Thursday evening at 12.1 feet.

Flood warnings on the Mississippi River remain in effect from Lake City, Minn., to north of St. Louis. Upper reaches of the Mississippi lie north of the main areas of rainfall and are expected to continue a slow fall through Sunday from Lake City to La Crosse, Wis. A second crest of about 20.1 feet (flood stage 15 feet) is expected Friday at Guttenberg, Iowa.

The Mississippi is expected to rise slightly at most locations between Dubuque and St. Louis, though secondary crests are not expected to be as high as those experienced in previous days and weeks.

The Mississippi at Quincy, Ill., was at 21.2 feet Friday morning and expected to continue a slow fall to about 20.7 feet through May 7 and then rise near 21 feet on May 8. The Friday morning stage at Hannibal, Mo., was measured at 22 feet with a slight fall of about six inches expected Saturday before a rise to slightly more than 22 feet on May 8.

At 25.8 feet, St. Louis remained below flood stage (30 feet) Friday and is expected to see a slight fall through May 7, then rise to 26 feet by May 9. The river is expected to stay at about 27.6 feet through Saturday at Chester, Ill., followed by a fall to just over 27 feet May 8 before beginning a rise to its second crest.

"Obviously, with the forecasts of rain and thunderstorms in the flooded areas, conditions in low-lying areas could change for the worse quickly," said Noreen Schwein, deputy chief of hydrologic services at Weather Service Central Region. "With so many saturated areas, the dangers of flash floods are really heightened. We've already seen storms dropping close to two inches of rain an hour, which would bring the potential for flash floods in dry soil conditions."

Schwein added: "These conditions pose a danger in any low-lying area, not just those along the main river channels. People need to use caution in flooded and flood-prone areas. Especially after dark, water depth can be deceptive, so our advice is to stay out of flood waters and runoff."

Relevant Web Sites
See NOAA aerial photos of flooded areas. Please credit "NOAA."

Updated information on the flood and weather forecasts for the affected areas may be found on the following NOAA Web sites for the respective weather service forecast offices.

Regional Weather Forecasts
Click on the appropriate map location.

The Shrike Commander: NOAA's World Class Snow Survey Platform

Davenport, Iowa, and vicinity

Minneapolis, Minn.

St. Louis, Missouri

NOAA's National Weather Service Central Region, with links to 38 forecast offices

NOAA's Hydrologic Information Center

River Conditions from NOAA's Hydrologic Information Center — includes national graphic

NOAA's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Services

NOAA's Flooding Page

NOAA's River Forecast Centers

NOAA Flood Satellite Images

Media Contacts:
Patrick Slattery, NOAA's National Weather Service Central Region, (816) 426-7621, ext. 621 or John Leslie, NOAA's National Weather Service, (301) 713-0622

 

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