THE MISSISSIPPI KEEPS RISING....

Whenever we get into the springtime we have to monitor area rivers for flooding. Some years nothing happens, other years there can be big problems. Unfortunately, the combination of a rapid snowmelt and saturated grounds is leading to near-record rises on the Mississippi River this year.

Here is the latest forecast information from the National Weather Service:

Then downstream:

Dubuque has a good amount of permanent protection in place while other towns like McGregor/Marquette and Davenport have been putting up hescos and filling sandbags.

Photo here of efforts in Davenport via KGAN Meteorologist Nick Stewart:

Crests will begin in northeastern Iowa this coming week, with crests in the Quad Cities by the following week. Many changes could still be made to the forecasts downstream, but here's a look at the forecast for Rock Island, IL just as an example:

A lot of these forecasts are calling for near-record crests... 2023 will likely end up in at least the top 5, if not top 3, on the Mississippi.

What we will continue to watch is any additional rainfall falling near the Mississippi or tributaries over the course of the next week or two. Any additional rain could lead to higher crests or leave the river sitting above flood stage for a prolonged period of time.

There is the chance for some rain on Monday night into Tuesday morning in the region:

There could be a half an inch to an inch of rain which may lead to a temporary spike on the river in southeast Iowa, but thankfully not occurring during the crest.

The good news is that the rest of the week will be dry, the bad news is there is the potential for additional rain as we head into the weekend. There is the possibility that rain could be heavy, but it's too far out to call for specific areas but definitely something to be watched.

In the meantime the weather is going to be far from spring-like with cool days and nights this week. Temperatures are expected to remain (mostly) below normal through the first few days of May:

We'll be keeping a close eye on the river in the coming days. Pay close attention if you have any interests along the Mississippi.

Rebecca Kopelman