Here’s why floods are inundating the Midwest right now
2024-06-24T13:38:17.480ZFlooding that spread across parts of Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota this past weekend is forecast to worsen Monday and Tuesday as rivers continue to rise, and meteorologists warn that any additional rain from possible thunderstorms could extend or heighten the risks of inundation.The floods are the product of torrential rain across parts of the upper Mississippi River basin since Thursday, dumping widespread totals of 10 inches to as much as 18 inches of rain, said Todd Heitkamp, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service’s Sioux Falls, S.D., forecast office. Soils were already saturated from months of wetter-than-average conditions before storms fueled by intense Gulf of Mexico moisture lingered over the region from Thursday into Saturday.That sent runoff coursing into streams and rivers and overwhelming levees in some areas, Heitkamp said. Rivers are expected to crest Tuesday or Wednesday at moderate to record flood stages, forecasters said.Volunteers toss sandbags into the bucket of a loader that will take them to be used to reinforce a berm on the northeast side of Jefferson, S.D., on June 23, 2024. (Tim Hynds/AP)“Streamflows are running much above normal … suggesting limited to no storage capacity to store additional rainfall,” forecasters wrote Monday. “Each additional round of rainfall will serve to further compound the flood potential.”At the same time, intense heat that has been shifting around the country for the past week is forecast to bake the region as it manages the rising waters. Temperatures across the Upper Midwest were forecast to peak in the 90s, with high humidity expected to make it feel close to 110 degrees Monday. That will produce “unpleasant to dangerous” conditions for those spending time outdoors, the Weather Service warned.Heat advisories stretched across the Mississippi River basin Monday, from Minnesota and South Dakota to the Gulf Coast.At least one death was linked to the flooding in South Dakota, Gov. Kristi L. Noem (R) said Sunday.Falls Park is submerged Saturday, June 22, 2024, after days of heavy rain led to flooding in the area in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Josh Jurgens/AP)As of Monday, rivers across the region were at major flood stage: The James, Vermillion and Big Sioux rivers in South Dakota and the Des Moines and Little Sioux rivers in southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.Flood warnings were in effect in those areas “until further notice,” the Weather Service warned.Isolated storms are possible Tuesday afternoon, meteorologists said, with the greatest chances for significant rain expected Thursday night into Friday.“If you get any additional rainfall, it’s a punch in the gut,” Heitkamp said.
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Flooding that spread across parts of Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota this past weekend is forecast to worsen Monday and Tuesday as rivers continue to rise, and meteorologists warn that any additional rain from possible thunderstorms could extend or heighten the risks of inundation.
The floods are the product of torrential rain across parts of the upper Mississippi River basin since Thursday, dumping widespread totals of 10 inches to as much as 18 inches of rain, said Todd Heitkamp, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service’s Sioux Falls, S.D., forecast office. Soils were already saturated from months of wetter-than-average conditions before storms fueled by intense Gulf of Mexico moisture lingered over the region from Thursday into Saturday.
That sent runoff coursing into streams and rivers and overwhelming levees in some areas, Heitkamp said. Rivers are expected to crest Tuesday or Wednesday at moderate to record flood stages, forecasters said.
“Streamflows are running much above normal … suggesting limited to no storage capacity to store additional rainfall,” forecasters wrote Monday. “Each additional round of rainfall will serve to further compound the flood potential.”
At the same time, intense heat that has been shifting around the country for the past week is forecast to bake the region as it manages the rising waters. Temperatures across the Upper Midwest were forecast to peak in the 90s, with high humidity expected to make it feel close to 110 degrees Monday. That will produce “unpleasant to dangerous” conditions for those spending time outdoors, the Weather Service warned.
Heat advisories stretched across the Mississippi River basin Monday, from Minnesota and South Dakota to the Gulf Coast.
At least one death was linked to the flooding in South Dakota, Gov. Kristi L. Noem (R) said Sunday.
As of Monday, rivers across the region were at major flood stage: The James, Vermillion and Big Sioux rivers in South Dakota and the Des Moines and Little Sioux rivers in southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.
Flood warnings were in effect in those areas “until further notice,” the Weather Service warned.
Isolated storms are possible Tuesday afternoon, meteorologists said, with the greatest chances for significant rain expected Thursday night into Friday.
“If you get any additional rainfall, it’s a punch in the gut,” Heitkamp said.
