Midwest Flooding Update - April 19th, 2019
It's been a harsh spring for many in the Midwest. March opened with warm temperatures which cause snowmelt across the country. As that water began to flood the Midwest, spring rains started to kick in, and now it's a perfect combination for flooding. The soil moisture is extremely saturated, the rivers are high, and communities are having to buckle down and find ways to endure through the constant barrage of flooding in the Midwest. Big Bags USA create our flood barrier system for just this type of occurrence. Flood will keep coming, but it can mean the world to have a product that helps. Keep reading to see the latest on flooding maps, and how Big Bags USA® can help.
Spring Flooding 2019
One of the biggest concerns that people are noticing is that spring flooding this year is affected by how wet it has been since last summer. Much of the Midwest has been experiencing high levels of precipitation. In fact, parts of the East, Ohio Valley, upper Midwest, and southern Plains had their wettest fall on record in 2018. The wet fall also followed one of the wettest summers on record, and now, with dozens of locations experiencing the wettest winters to date (according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center), things are just getting off to a soggy start.Saturated Soils
With all of the precipitation that has been experienced through the last few seasons, it only makes sense that the soil is absolutely soaked. According to an analysis that was performed by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, soil moisture values over the Plains, Midwest, and East are in the 99th percentile for this time of year. This means that these soil moisture levels are in the top 1 percent of all values back in mid-February. To put this into perspective, in some areas the soil contains over 3 inches more moisture than average for this time of year. This means that the ground cannot absorb much more rain or snowmelt before runoff into rivers and streams will begin to occur.
Rivers In Flood Stage
Now, take into account that many of the rivers through the Midwest and Eastern regions have a flow that measures in the 90th percentile or HIGHER relative to past records from this time last year. In fact, over 100 river gauges were measuring levels above flood stage. Specifically, the rivers in question are in the Ohio and mid-Mississippi River Valleys according to recent soaking rainfall that happened in February.
Does Winter Weather Play a Role?
Many parts of the Midwest have had their snowiest February's on record. Because of this, a healthy snowpack has built over upstate New York and northern New England even though the snowfall along parts of the immediate Interstate 95 corridor of the Northeast has been below average. The most important thing to remember, though, is that there is a lot of water that is contained in the snowpack, and it will be released once temperatures warm up and it melts. An NOAA analysis estimated that there are between 2 and 6 inches of water that is currently locked in the snowpack in parts of upper Midwest and northern New England.Spring Surprises
Finally, the last thing to consider is that there are several factors that make predicting flooding uncertain. A heavy rain event during a period of snowmelt would magnify the flooding of rivers and streams exponentially, and it’s certainly possible through spring. A quick warm spell, like many areas, are experiencing can quickly melt the snowpacks and send a large volume of meltwater into the rivers and streams.
Dealing with the Unknowns
When planning for weather, there are many unknowns, and no way to accurately know what’s going to happen. However, you can still prepare for community flooding by stocking up on supplies and tools that can help. Big Bags USA® has created the best flood barrier system on the market because we know that communities need a solution. You can’t stop the flooding, but you can prepare with the right tools to keep flooding from impacting a community as much. Do you have questions about how quick sandbag systems work? We would love to answer your questions and help your community get the tools it needs to get started. Visit our website to see demos, get answers to frequently asked questions, and even learn how you can get this powerful and FAST flood barrier system into your community.
MADE IN THE USA ~ 100% Manufactured in Missouri ~ BUY AMERICAN
MADE IN THE USA ~ 100% Manufactured in Missouri ~ BUY AMERICAN
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