Spring flood risk potential is low

A forecaster said a combination of factors has lowered the potential risk of spring flooding on the Mississippi River and its tri-state-area tributaries. Timothy Gunkel with the National Weather Service, said below-normal snowfall, ongoing drought conditions and near- or below-normal local stream flows combine to reduce the flooding risk, with only a 10-15% chance of the Mississippi River reaching major flood stage in the Dubuque area this spring. Gunkel said, “Many things can impact this, and we know one (storm) system can change this drastically, but the bottom line is that the spring flood threat is below normal.” Additional outlooks will be released Feb. 27 and March 13. In 2024, spring flooding wasn’t an issue locally, but the Mississippi River topped flood stage in late June and early July.