After rain deluge, rare winter floods on Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is expected to reach almost 15 feet above flood stage on Thursday at St. Louis, which would be the second-worst flood on record, behind only the devastating 1993 flood. Genevieve, Missouri, built in 2001.

The Bourbeuse is among several smaller rivers in eastern Missouri that are seeing record or close-to-record flooding.

Most of the northwest corner of the state, as well as areas along the Arkansas, Mississippi and other rivers remain under a flood warning Tuesday afternoon, and forecasts say floodwaters in some areas will not reach their peak until late in the week. In addition, evacuations may be required.

The Mississippi River at 6.8 feet (left) versus at 35.6 feet (right).

Columbia residents can expect to see more gray skies throughout the week until New Year’s Day, according to the latest forecasts from the National Weather Service.

State officials said Monday that the flooding could be reminiscent of flooding in 2008 and 2011, both of which caused millions in damage. Some flooding of city streets and businesses possible.

The record flood is 48.7 feet. Flooding of Ft. Adams likely. Drivers should never drive vehicles through flooded areas. Shipping and industrial activities may be significantly impacted.

He said, “We’re asking for everybody with gates on the levee to open them all next week so we can have easy access to any area we need to monitor”. “It’s going to cause a significant rise in the Mississippi River over the next couple of weeks”.

But there is nothing normal about this December flood. That snowpack melted within days, adding some volume to tributaries and main-stem rivers.

The country’s midsection was seeing a range of precipitation, including heavy snow, ice and blustery winds in parts of several states and heavy rain in already-waterlogged parts of Missouri and Arkansas.

Van Wert County EMA Director Rick McCoy told the Times Bulletin the area had already received approximately two inches of rain by Sunday evening and could see as much as another inch with most of it arriving on Monday.

The torrential rain the week after Christmas was the final tipping point.

Some experts say the water could go higher.

At Natchez, the river is forecast to crest at 60 feet on January 18, 12 feet above flood stage; and at Baton Rouge, the crest forecast is 44 feet on January 19, 9 feet above flood stage.