Buffalo National River closed due to flooding

Once again this year major flooding is forecast for the Red River leaving the possibility of area roads closing due to high water by Wednesday morning.

Cape Girardeau will also see major flooding later this week.

Heavy rains over the last several days have prompted flood warnings all over the region.

Anticipated rainfall of 3 to 5 inches from Saturday afternoon through Tuesday, however, is expected to push the river to 17 feet, according to the National Weather Service.

Up to 10 inches of rain has fallen in the 24 hours from Sunday morning to Monday morning in eastern Oklahoma, northeast Texas and western Arkansas, but 24-hour rainfall totals exceed three inches from in to Texas. Predicted crest height may be as much as 47-50 feet. Flood stage is 40.0 feet.

The river is expected to crest in the Tyler Bend area around noon today, the release states.

At 2 p.m. Monday, the river stage was 33.1 feet. That flood was the second worst flooding disaster since the Great Flood of 1927, and in some locations became the worst flooding disaster on record.

Major flooding is now forecast in St. Louis along the Mississippi River and all points south. The forecasted crest on the Mississippi River is up to 41 feet, with a high crest of 45.9 feet at Chester.