Spring Flooding: Outlook Shows Risk Michigan Faces

The record flooding that has devastated parts of the Midwest is expected to grow only worse and affect larger swaths of the country through May, according to a spring outlook released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

In its outlook, the NOAA said that nearly two-thirds of the lower 48 states face an elevated risk of flooding through the end of May. A majority of the country will see above-average precipitation in the spring, increasing the risk of flooding.

In at least 25 states, there’s a potential for moderate to major flooding, the NOAA says.

According to the outlook, minor flooding is likely in Michigan between now through the end of May.

The current flooding in the midwest has been caused by rapid snow melt, heavy spring rain and late-seasonal snowfall in some areas, the NOAA said. The flooding is only expected to get worse and expand, especially in the central and southern parts of the country, thanks to additional spring rain and melting snow, according to the NOAA.

“As this excess water flows downstream through the river basins, the flood threat will become worse and geographically more widespread,” the outlook says.

The NOAA says its flood risk is based on a number of factors, including snowpack conditions, soil moisture and precipitation. The agency also says that locally heavy rainfall in the spring can lead to flooding even in areas where the overall risk is considered low.

Read NOAA’s full outlook here.