Photo by Lillian Anderson
Recently the National Weather Service stated that they are boosting the Red River Valley flood forecast for this spring.
In the metro areas, in preparation they have already begun sandbagging.
However, for one rural Barnesville resident, the effects of spring flooding have already wreaked havoc.
While the home owners, on a once-in-a-lifetime belated honeymoon vacation to Hawaii, their house flooded yesterday.
On a gofund me page she started for the Home owners by their daughter, Lillian Anderson, she shared,
“Massive amounts of water and chunks of ice and snow inundated the entire first floor, with water levels reaching a foot deep throughout the house and into every room.
The flooding seems to have been caused by an ice-blockage in the near-by drainage culvert. Our house is the only home that has been damaged by this.”
The hydrological outlook as of right now regarding snowmelt and associated flooding to begin this week is;
With warming temperatures well above freezing this week will lead to rapid ripening and melting of the current snowpack.
This will begin the onset of river, overland, and urban-related flooding in flood prone areas as early as late this week.
This is especially true for areas with poor drainage as well as blocked culverts.
Should a flood warning be issued for your area, you should be prepared and mitigate flood-related impacts.
If you have any questions, you can contact the National Weather Service, Grand Forks office at 701-772-0720.