Spring flooding above normal according to new National Weather Service spring flood report

Alex Jokich and KSTP Staff

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The National Weather Service (NWS) released an updated spring flooding outlook Thursday afternoon.

The new report states that flooding potential is above normal based on current observations.

This includes the upper Mississippi River, Minnesota River and Chippewa River basins.

The cities facing the greatest threat of river flooding are Stillwater, Hastings and Red Wing.

“It’s now not so much a question of if we will see flooding, but how severe and widespread will it be,” NWS said. “The severity of flooding will depend on if we receive heavy rainfall and/or very warm temperatures during the melt.”

In Stillwater, NWS said last week the city has nearly a 75% chance at major flooding, meaning it’s all-hands-on-deck to prepare. It has increased slightly this week to about an 81% chance.

In St. Paul, the flood risk has shifted from major to moderate.

Areas in the southwest metro have shifted from a moderate flood risk to minor.

City officials in Hastings told 5 EYEWITNESS News they are ‘carefully monitoring the data’ at this time.

Hastings saw major flooding in 2019, when the Mississippi River crested at about 19.5 feet, which is more than four feet above flood stage.

The southeast metro, particularly where the Mississippi meets the St. Croix River, and along the St. Croix River, continue to face major flood risk conditions.

City crews are preparing the river area for a barrier to be put into place, ready for whatever the river may do. They’re also looking for volunteers to help put up the barrier – anyone who is at least 14 years old can sign up to fill sandbags. Those shifts run from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday next week, and 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Friday.

CLICK HERE if you’d like to help with sandbagging.

The flooding risk report comes on the same day as the U.S. Drought Monitor’s weekly report.

Thursday, the organization reported no changes from last week’s report, which showed the state has 41.41% of land experiencing abnormally dry conditions. Of that, 15.64% of land is listed as having moderate drought conditions.

CLICK HERE for the latest drought report, which has data valid as of 7 a.m. CT on Tuesday, March 21. An updated map was released Thursday.

The latest forecast from 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS can be found by CLICKING HERE. Meanwhile, an interactive radar can be found HERE.