Weather wanes as part of flood story

Posted at 6:30 AM on March 20, 2010 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Crow River, Flooding, Minnesota River, Mississippi River, Red River

The tale is nearly told for how weather played a role in the floods of 2010.

First the snow. Then persistent cold to keep the snow in place this winter. Then the rain and record temperatures in March.

Most of the snow has now melted in Minnesota, and that means most of the water that was locked up in the snow pack is now working through the river systems. The damage is done so to speak.

With no major rain or snow events in sight for the next week or so, the focus and action shifts to events on the ground. Levee by levee, sand bag by sand bag, the flood story now becomes more about events on the ground than weather in the air.

The primary questions and potential areas of concern this weekend are:

-Will the dikes and levees hold on the Red River in Fargo and Morehead as the waters reach their crest?

-Will the Crow River in Delano behave and stay within the projected crest forecast?

Crow River in Mayer near final crest?

-Will changes be made to the Minnesota and Mississippi forecast crests this weekend?

-Will ice jams cause surprise areas of flooding?

NWS meteorologist Seth Binau stands near a flood gage on the Mississippi. (Photo courtesy Craig Edwards)

Meteorologists are about to step aside and let the hydrologists take over to mop up this flood season. The resilient residents and government officials in river towns are doing their part to keep the rising waters at bay.

Nature has certainly reminded us this year that winter weather and spring floods are to be respected in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. Let's hope there are no more surprises in the coming days.

PH

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