Indianapolis-The combination of melting snow and heavy rains continued to cause flooding in parts of the Midwest and Northeast regions last week. Extensive flooding was reported at midweek in Indiana along sections of the White, Big Blue, East Fork White, Muscatatuck, and Wabash Rivers, with at least five counties in southern Indiana under flood warnings. A flood watch was also posted for numerous northern Ohio counties, and flood warnings were issued for portions of the Ohio River after midweek rainfall totals of nearly 2 inches in the Louisville, Ky., area. Ohio residents were still cleaning up after the previous week’s flooding on the Cuyahoga River and along other rivers and streams in the state. More winter weather also moved into the Northeast region, blanketing northern New England with wet, heavy snow. The system produced heavy rainfall in parts of southern Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, prompting midweek flood warnings in more than 36 counties. Widespread flooding was reported along the Passaic River in New Jersey last week. Another round of showers was expected as the week advanced, resulting in flood watches being posted for parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland on March 10-11. According to its latest outlook released on March 3, the National Weather Service said much of Iowa also faces an elevated risk of spring flooding, with the highest risk along portions of the Des Moines, Cedar, Iowa, Winnebago, and Shell Rock Rivers. For the Mississippi River north of St. Louis, the updated forecast gives a 90 percent chance of spring crests 4-5 feet above local flood stages. In North Dakota, which is experiencing its third consecutive winter with above-normal snowfall, the updated outlook states that the flooding risk this spring is “well above average” for many locations on the James, Knife, Cannonball, Little Missouri, and Little Muddy Rivers, as well as along numerous creeks and tributaries. The outlook said there is a 35 percent chance that floodwaters this spring will exceed the 2009 record crest of nearly 41 feet in Fargo, N.D., and a 70 percent chance the Red River in Fargo will surpass last year’s crest of 37 feet. The weather service said record levels of flooding are also predicted for several areas in South Dakota as well, including a 50 percent chance of record flooding along parts of the Big Sioux River.
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