Some States Could See ‘unprecedented’ Flooding This Spring, NOAA Says. See What Parts of North Texas Are at Risk

Above-average precipitation this spring could put almost two-thirds of the contiguous United States at an elevated flood risk through May, according to a 2019 spring flood outlook issued Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.The forecast follows historic flooding in Nebraska and Iowa last week that swamped highways, left at least four people dead and sent thousands fleeing from their homes, The Washington Post reports.Spring rains in some areas of the U.S. along with melting snow in others could “prolong and expand” spring flooding, according to NOAA’s outlook.“The extensive flooding we’ve seen in the past two weeks will continue through May and become more dire and may be exacerbated in the coming weeks as the water flows downstream,” said Ed Clark, director of NOAA’s National Water Center. “This is shaping up to be a potentially unprecedented flood season, with more than 200 million people at risk for flooding in their communities.”Several states in the Upper Midwest, including portions of North and South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota, were categorized at a major flood risk, concentrated around the Missouri and the Mississippi rivers, according to the forecast.  Continue reading...