The spring flood risk is low along the upper Mississippi River, as area soils and streams have amble capacity to accommodate seasonal precipitation, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Precipitation in the Corn Belt has been below normal this winter, keeping the region abnormally dry, the NWS said Thursday in its second Spring Flood Outlook. Minimal snow pack has formed in the Northern Plains following lackluster winter precipitation. Both these factors have reduced the risk for March-April flooding along the upper Mississippi River.
Around 0-2in of water equivalent are in the snowpack along the northern stretches of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. In addition, stream flows are below normal, giving them more capacity to handle spring rains and snow melt.
In other areas of the Corn Belt and the Northern Plains, unfrozen soil is expected to soak up precipitation, asmoisture levels remain below normal. Southern Illinois and Missouri have no frozen soil, completely thawing since the previous outlook. Iowa has 16-24in of frozen soil, slightly higher over the past two weeks. Northern states such as Minnesota and Wisconsin still have an average of 24-36in of frost depth.
These states have the entire month of March to defrost and gain moisture levels, since the majority of spring planting for the Corn Belt begin in April.
Normal precipitation is projected for the upper Mississippi River basin through the first half of March, according to the NWS' Climate Prediction Center. The seasonal temperatures outlook for March-April are near normal, while precipitation is anticipated to be above average.
