DisastersMinnesota will see major floods in spring
Meteorologists project major floods in Minnesota this spring; emergency response officials warn that major roadways will likely be closed and are urging residents to immediately purchase flood insurance; officials are also encouraging residents to develop evacuation plans and to begin raising appliances off of basement floors; a third particularly rainy autumn followed by double the average amount of snow is to be blamed for the floods, as excessive snow melt will swell rivers in the spring; last year similar conditions caused rampant flooding and an estimated $28 million in damages
Flooding from the Red River in Minnesota // Source: witf.org
Emergency response officials in Minnesota are gearing up for a busy spring as forecasts predict another year of major flooding.
According to Dan Luna, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, “Every river in the state of Minnesota is at risk of flooding this spring.”
He said that a third consecutive rainy autumn season followed by twice the normal amount of snowfall across the entire state will swell rivers with melting snow. There is currently three to six inches of frozen snow on top of frozen ground all across Minnesota. “It’s alarming because we’ve still got two months of winter [ahead],” he said. He expects significant overland flooding and rivers to back up due to ice jams, in addition to flooding due to excessive snowmelt.
Officials warned that the flooding will close roads, major highways, back up sewer systems, and hit basements.
Kris Eide, the Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management director, is recommending that residents begin developing evacuation plans, take stock of their possessions, and raise appliances off of basement floors.
Forecasts project that many major roadways and bridges that carry hundreds of thousands of cars a day will likely be closed due to flooding.
Eide is also encouraging residents to immediately purchase flood insurance because it will take thirty days for the insurance to take effect.
Minnesota has one of the lowest flood insurance participation rates in the country.
Meteorologists predict that there is a chance that water levels of the Red River could exceed last year’s record high of 40.82 feet.
The flooding lasted for sixty-one days and caused an estimated $28 million in damages.
