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Weather analyst expects more flooding in farm country

A weather analyst says farmers in several states are in danger of additional flooding. Jeff Doran from Planalytics, which helps businesses plan for weather influences says, “Three words come to mind: More trouble ahead.”

Doran says 2018 was the wettest year on record with soil moisture surpluses in many states going back to early October.

And with snowpack carrying up to ten inches of liquid equivalent and very warm temperatures forecasted in the Dakotas, Doran says this could bring problems to the Red River and downstream impacting the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. “Even though some of the rivers are receding, the next couple of weeks or so could see a return to some significant flooding.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says all of Iowa, three quarters of Minnesota and Wisconsin, the northern half of Missouri, Western Illinois, and the eastern Dakotas are all at moderate to major flood risk, and the entire eastern half of the U.S. is at risk for minor flooding.

Doran spoke during a Planalytics weather webinar Monday.