Flood.
The word that sits at the front of our minds this time of year. Especially those who could be impacted by a historic flood. The chances are small, but not small enough to sit back and wait.
The Mayor of Fargo, Tim Mahoney, has declared that 1,000,000 sand bags will need to be filled to protect the city. Leadership is taking 2019 VERY seriously. To better understand why they are acting in preparation, IT2 reached out to the National Weather Service to better understand where the water is coming from.
1. February and March were brutal. Large snow falls, including the storm that impacted huge parts of the country in mid-March, added a great deal of snow to the area. Snow that had some significant moisture. This accumulation changed predictions to include greater chances of major flooding. Also worth noting, areas to the south and west of Fargo-Moorhead received a lot of snow in that last storm. Snow that will melt and head north in the Red River.
2. Fall was wet and snow arrived early. The situations we see in the Fall always have an impact when we look towards flooding. What is already in the ground? Fall 2018 included farmers combining in snowy fields after wet weeks kept equipment out of action. A quick transition from wet to snow and freeze is not a great combination.
3. Frost. The frost line is low. An accelerated melt would mean that water would not be able to simply seep into the ground, a frost depth that goes on and hangs on late into the spring could mean additional water spreading into major rivers and tributaries.
4. Weather is the biggest factor. To slow the melt, we are looking for warm days and freezing nights. That would keep the bulk of the snow on pace to melt slowly and not overpower the rivers and lakes. A heavy rain or consistent high temperatures could change a lot in a very short amount of time. Tracking storm systems and hourly temperature readings will give us a better idea of what to expect and when the game could change quickly.
(Flooding in Hillsboro from the Goose River in 2018)
Additional content:
KFGO Podcast –
KFGO Teams with Red River Valley Fair for Jigsaw Puzzle Competition – AGAIN!
KFGO Podcast –
Minnesota Family Finds Their Van with the Door Open…After a Snow Storm!
KFGO Podcast –
When & Where for Senior Care: Wandering in the Winter
(Amy Iler & JJ Gordon are talk-show hosts at 790 AM KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. “It Takes 2 with Amy & JJ” can be heard weekdays 11am-2pm. Check out the show page on
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Follow Amy on Twitter
@AmyKFGO
. Follow JJ on Twitter
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