Wisconsin not expecting major flooding problems

Spring brings melting snowpack and rain, and several states in the upper Midwest are now prepping for heavy floods. But so far, Wisconsin’s forecast isn’t as dire.

In parts of Minnesota and the Dakotas -- especially North Dakota’s Red River Valley -- people are already filling sandbags and revisiting emergency plans from previous floods. But even with 20 inches of snowpack in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, Kevin Kraujalis of the National Weather Service in Duluth says there’s no immediate trouble. He says flooding would be a bigger concern if there was a big warm-up, combined with a lot of rain. He says so far, there’s been a gradual snowmelt, and there are no big storms in the forecast.

Chris Franks is with the National Weather Service office for Milwaukee. He’s also seeing little flood potential for the southern half of Wisconsin. He says steady highs in the 30s and 40s helps. Franks says even though there’s between a half inch to 2.5 inches in southern Wisconsin’s snowpack right now, the infiltration into the soil and local rivers should be slow enough that flooding won’t be an issue.

If there are any hazardous conditions in Wisconsin to mind this week it’s warm, balmy days followed by frigid nights. Highway officials say this leaves roads icy and slippery for motorists in the evening and early morning hours.

Tags: news, wisconsin, flooding, snow