More than a third of the contiguous USA has a higher-than-average risk of flooding in the coming months, and residents in the Midwest are likely to see the worst of it, government forecasters warned Tuesday.
Devastating and potentially deadly floods are forecast across much of the central and eastern USA over the next two months, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's spring flood outlook.
"We are looking at potentially historic flooding," NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said.
The most significant threat is forecast for the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa, including along the Red River Valley. Crests there this week and into next week could approach the record levels set just last year.
"This is the first time in recorded history that we've had significant flood events back-to-back," said Scott Dummer, a hydrologist with the North Central River Forecast Center in Minneapolis. Records along the Red River go back 110 years, he said.
