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A tugboat pushes barges to the Mississippi River in St. Louis on Friday, September 7, 2018. Recent rains have caused the river to rise above the flood level in northern Missouri, and the flood is heads south to St. Louis and beyond. Heavy rains are expected over most of Missouri throughout the weekend, raising concerns about floods and sudden floods. LessA tugboat is pushing barges to the Mississippi River in St. Louis on Friday, September 7, 2018. Recent rains have caused the river to rise above the flood level in northern Missouri, and the floods have … after
Photo: Jim Salter, AP
Photo: Jim Salter, AP
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Remnants of tropical depression Gordon are expected to bring heavy rainfall over much of Missouri throughout the weekend, creating a risk of flooding and flash flooding.
According to the National Weather Service, south-central Missouri and the St. Louis region could receive up to 6 inches of rain by Sunday, with more precipitation in some areas.
With a lightning vigil covering three quarters of the east of the state, the rivers also rise. The Mississippi River is above the flood level in the towns of Canton, Hannibal and Louisiana in Missouri. The river is expected to reach the ridge over the next few days, about 4 to 6 feet above flood level. No major damage is expected, but Hannibal has installed his flood wall to protect his downtown, including Mark Twain's sites.
Portions of the Missouri River are also near or at the technical flood stage, but only partially due to rain. The US Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday that higher-than-normal water discharges northwest of Missouri would continue through the fall. The army corps said that the release of water is necessary because large amounts of runoff have resulted in the storage of a large amount of water in the reservoirs.
The biggest concern being the flash flood, the Missouri Highway Patrol urged drivers to avoid flooded roads, noting that even a foot of water can move quickly and be deadly.
The patrol also encouraged boaters to take extra precautions, as rain-swept waterways can create faster currents and unpredictable conditions.
It is unclear how much water will help farmers severely affected by the summer drought. The drought monitoring map in the United States shows that conditions have eased over much of the state due to rains in the last two weeks. At present, 21% of Missouri is currently in a state of severe drought or worse, compared with 37% the previous week.
Rainy weather brings relief from hot, humid weather. After several days of consecutive temperatures in the 90s and high humidity, St. Louis is expected to peak only in the 70s, Saturday and Sunday.
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