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Major Flood Chances Are High, But Not as High as 2 Weeks Ago

Screenshot from the latest hydrologic outlook from the Quad Cities National Weather Service
https://www.weather.gov/media/dvn/Hydro/2020/SpringFloodInfo2Pager_Mar12.pdf

Some of the snow that could cause spring flooding on the Mississippi River has melted. That's according to the final Spring Flood Outlook from the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities

Hydrologist, Jessica Brooks
Credit Michelle O'Neill / WVIK News

Hydrologist, Jessica Brooks, says that means the risk of major Mississippi River flooding isn't quite as high as it was two weeks ago.

Last weekend, temperatures in the upper 50s and 60s melted a lot of the snowpack north of here, and that water will flow past us in the Mississippi River over the next few weeks. 

The risk for minor and moderate flooding at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities remains very high. But Brooks says instead of a 90% chance of major flooding, it's now 60%. Normally, it's 22%. 

She says the extent of Mississippi River flooding also depends on how much it rains this spring. 

And the risk for flooding on other rivers remains normal to slightly above normal. And that depends on spring rain, too.

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Officially, Michelle's title for 28 years was WVIK News Editor. She did everything there is to do in the newsroom and whatever was needed around the radio station. She also served as Acting News Director from September 2023 - January 2024.