Risk Rises For Major Flooding In Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- New data issued by the National Weather Service on Thursday show a higher threat of major flooding in Minnesota.
An Associated Press analysis of updated charts posted on the weather service website found the risk of major flooding has risen at several points on the Minnesota, Mississippi and St. Croix rivers compared with the first forecast of the season three weeks ago.
On the upper Minnesota River, the chance of major flooding at Montevideo has risen to 90 percent, up from between 60 and 70 percent earlier. On the Mississippi, the threat at St. Paul is now 95 to 98 percent, up from 90 percent earlier, and 90 to 95 percent at Red Wing, compared with 80 to 90 percent before. On the St. Croix, the risk of major flooding at Stillwater is 75 percent, up from 60 to 70 percent.
The charts also show still-low but higher risks than before at Granite Falls and Shakopee on the Minnesota, and at St. Cloud, Anoka and Minneapolis on the Mississippi.
Weather service and state officials planned to release their new forecast and give details about preparations for the flood fight Thursday afternoon.
In the state's first flood forecast of the season, on Jan. 27, officials said Minnesota faces a particularly high flood risk statewide and it won't be limited to any one river because the winter snowfall has been so heavy and so widespread. That forecast predicted rivers in some areas could top their 2009 and 2010 crest levels.
Dan Luna, meteorologist in charge of the Chanhassen office, told The Associated Press earlier Thursday he expected the flood threat to remain high because there have been no major weather developments since the last forecast. He also said this week's thaw, which has greatly diminished snow piles around the Twin Cities, hasn't been as big as it looks and the water isn't yet reaching rivers and streams.
The National Weather Service in North Dakota on Thursday raised the odds for major flooding along the Red River in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. The new outlook showed a 70 percent chance the river in the Fargo, N.D., area will beat last year's crest of about 37 feet, which was the sixth-highest on record. The previous outlook put the odds at about 50 percent.
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