Rain to soak flood-stricken parts of MN, ND through Sunday
Flood warnings and watches are posted along the Red River Valley in Minnesota and North Dakota ahead of a storm system that is poised to soak the area Friday through Sunday.
"Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Area creeks and streams are running high and could flood with more heavy rain," says the National Weather Service.
The Red River at Grand Forks crested just shy of "major flood" stage at 46 feet earlier this week and has since receded to just over 44 feet, which is still 16 feet above the first "minor flood" stage.
It's unclear how the weekend rain will impact the river, but the NWS says the encouraging news is that rain is expected to be light, even though it could add up to 1 or 2+ inches.
The National Blend of Models averages out numerous computer model predictions for how much rain will fall Friday through Sunday. It is forecast 1-2 inches along Minnesota's border with the Dakotas.
WeatherBell
"This will luckily be a longer duration, generally lighter rain event. Therefore, flash flooding looks to be less of an issue than with our prior event," the NWS in Grand Forks said Friday morning. "That said, with a high degree of standing water across much of the [area], there is high potential for overland and areal flooding issues to be exacerbated. River levels will likely also respond in kind, although the degree of which is still to be determined."
Showers were expected to move into the valley Friday morning, with more widespread rain Friday afternoon, then through the night, and then all day Saturday before tapering off Sunday.
"Rain on top of saturated conditions in portions of the Sheyenne River Basin and northern Red River Valley will prolong river flooding and make overland flooding worse," the NWS said.
Again, just how much the rain impacts flooding is to be determined. At a minimum, as the City of Grand Forks says, "The rain will slow down how fast the river goes down."
Flooding has hit northern Minnesota hard this spring, with major flooding from the Red Lake River swallowing parts of Crookston earlier this week, in addition to significant flooding in Bemidji and further east into the Northland.
You can keep up to date with flooding in Grand Forks on the city's website, including a river flood camera.
