(Radio Iowa) – Hydrologists predict an “average” flood risk in much of the Missouri River Basin this spring, in large part due to dry conditions, as much of the region is experiencing moderate to severe drought. Brian Fuchs, a climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center, says soils in the basin are dry and have a lot of room to take in water from rain and melting snow, which lowers the flood risk. Fuchs says, “Think of them as a big sponge, that when they are dry and there’s room in that profile for moisture to get in, any type of rain that hits them is going to get soaked in.”
Parts of northwest Iowa are shown to be in severe and extreme drought in this week’s map from the U-S Drought Monitor. Fuchs says the ground will be able to take in moisture from runoff, but if those soils aren’t replenished, plants aren’t going to have the moisture deep enough in the soil to tap into and grow. “It’s kind of a balancing game of getting that moisture into the soil so plants can utilize it if it does get dry and drought starts developing,” Fuchs says. “And if you don’t have that, what you end up seeing is the impact of that drought really taking off more so in a hurry than if that moisture was there.”
Fuchs says he expects the drought to persist in the High Plains through June. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting -no- major flooding across the country for the first time in three years.
(By Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)
Today: Areas of fog possible this morning, otherwise Mostly sunny. High 57. S @ 5-10.
Tonight: Fair to P/Cldy. Low 33.
Tomorrow: Mo. Sunny. High 64. S @ 15-25.
Sunday: P/Cldy. High 66.
Monday: Mo. Cldy w/showers. High 58.
Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 51. Our Low this morning was 20. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 61 and Low 19. The Record High on this date was 79 in 1976. The Record Low was -14, in 1923.
Today: Mostly cloudy this morning; P/Cldy this afternoon. High 47. N @ 10-20.
Tonight: Fair to P/Cldy. Low 22.
Tomorrow: Mo. Sunny. High 57. S @ 10.
Saturday: Mo. Sunny. High near 64.
Sunday: P/Cldy. High 66.
Wednesday’s High in Atlantic was 39. Our Low this morning (as of 5:30-a.m.), was 33. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 56 and Low 42. The Record High on this date was 81 in 2012. The Record Low was -1, in 1893.
Sac-Crawford-Carroll-Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Taylor-Ringgold Counties: DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM.
* WHAT…Visibility of one quarter miles or less in dense fog.
* IMPACTS…Hazardous driving conditions due to low visibility.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.
Today: Mostly cloudy w/fog+drizzle early; Scattered light rain this afternoon. High 44. NE @ 10-15.
Tonight: Mo. Cldy w/light rain or drizzle. Low 33. NE @ 10-20.
Tomorrow: P/Cldy to Cldy. High 45. N @ 10-15.
Friday: Mo. Sunny, with a high near 55.
Saturday: Mo. Sunny. High around 64.
Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 46. Our Low was 35. We received just a Trace of rain after 7-a.m. Tuesday through early this morning. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 51 and Low 25. The Record High on this date was 84 in 1894. The Record Low was -11, in 1906.
Today: **Dense Fog Advisory until 9-a.m.** Mostly cloudy w/areas of dense fog & drizzle. High 43. E wind at 10mph.
Tonight: Mo. Cldy w/light rain & drizzle. Low 34. E @ 10-15.
Tomorrow: Cldy w/rain. High 39. E @ 10-20.
Thursday: Mo. Cldy w/light snow in the morning. High 40.
Friday: P/Cldy. High around 50.
Monday’s High in Atlantic was 38. Our Low this morning, 35. We received .03″ rain from 7-a.m. Monday through 5:30-a.m. today at the KJAN studios. Last year on this date, the High was 43 and the Low was 26. The Record High of 84 was set in 2015. The Record Low was -4 in 1900.
Sac-Crawford-Carroll-Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Taylor-Ringgold-Harrison-Shelby-Pottawattamie-Mills-Montgomery-Fremont-Page Counties…DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM, for visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog.
* IMPACTS…Hazardous driving conditions due to low visibility.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Areas of light drizzle are also expected overnight with the fog.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Heavy snow has blanketed much of northern Iowa, snarling traffic and closing schools and services, as a late winter storm moves through the region. Online reports issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation show snow and ice covering roads in north-central Iowa and partially covering roads for much of the rest of the northern half of the state. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for three dozen counties in Iowa’s northern half and a winter weather advisory for several more counties in the region. The weather service expects some areas to see up to 8 inches of snow by Monday afternoon.
Today: Mostly Cloudy & breezy w/scattered light rain. High around 40. East winds @ 10 to 20 mph shifting to the north.
Tonight: Light Rain-mix before midnight. Low around 30. N @ 10-15.
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy-to cloudy. High 44. E @ 10-15.
Wednesday: Cloudy w/rain. High around 39.
Thursday: Cloudy w/light snow in the morning. High about 39.
Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 44. Our Low this morning, 33. We received .2″ of snow overnight, and 1.11″ rain/melted snow, from 7-a.m. Sunday through 4:30-a.m. today. Last Year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 36 and the Low was 30. The Record High was 79 in 2003, and the Record Low was 0, in 1944.