The Red River could reach 51 feet by Wednesday, according to the latest National Weather Service forecast.
The Red, which was at 38.8 feet at 10 a.m. Thursday, is expected to continue rising over the next week, with no crest forecast yet. The latest report indicates the river should reach 41 feet by Friday morning, 44 feet by Saturday, 46 feet by Sunday, 48.6 feet by Monday and 50.2 feet by Tuesday, reaching 51 feet Wednesday.
Major flood stage in Grand Forks-East Grand Forks is 46 feet. At 52.6 feet, the river will flow onto the Gateway Drive approach to the Kennedy Bridge in East Grand Forks.
No crest prediction has been issued yet for Grand Forks or points to the north.
Meanwhile, the weather service has narrowed the projected crest range for the Red River at Fargo-Moorhead to 39 to 40 feet, down from 39 to 41 feet, with a possible crest by Sunday.
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Flows are decreasing on the Wild Rice River south of Abercrombie, N.D., and on the Red River about 20 miles south of Fargo, "indicating that the primary crest waves along those two rivers is now headed into Fargo," according to a statement Thursday from Greg Gust, warning coordination meteorologist for the weather service.
"The current rate of movement suggests that the primary crest could reach Fargo on Sunday, possibly ahead of the effects of any heavier rain expected from Saturday and Sunday," Gust wrote.
The next couple of days should see daytime temperatures well into the 50s.
The warmer temperatures should trigger runoff in areas where the process has not yet begun, and accelerate it in other areas. Runoff should begin in earnest, the report said, in the Goose, Park, Forest and Pembina river basins.
Elsewhere in the valley:
Wild Rice River at Hendrum, Minn.: Moderate flooding is occurring in the Hendrum area, with the river surpassing 31 feet on Thursday. The river is forecast to rise to 32 to 34 feet by Saturday to Monday, with additional rises possible. Major flood warning stage is 32 feet, as the area also is affected by backwater from the main stem Red River.
The Red River at Halstad, Minn., was at 35.78 feet Thursday afternoon. Major flood stage is 37.5 feet. At 38 feet, the closure on U.S. Highway 75 is installed on the south side of the Halstad ring dike. The river is expected to near 40 feet by Monday morning, with additional rises possible after that.
The Sand Hill River at Climax, Minn., is expected to rise to between 32.5 and 34.5 feet between Monday and next Thursday. At 34 feet, the sanitary sewer left station on the north end of town and several homes on the northwest side of town are threatened.
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The Marsh River at Shelly, Minn., is forecast to rise to between 22 and 24 feet by Saturday, with additional rises possible. Moderate flood stage is at 20 feet. Major stage is 23 feet. The river was at 19.32 feet Thursday afternoon.
The Red River at Oslo, Minn., is expected to reach major flood stage of 36 feet by this weekend, continuing to rise to about 38 feet by late next week. No crest forecast has been determined. At 37.5 feet, water overtops Minnesota State Highway 1, which leads into Oslo from the east. The river was at 34.5 feet Thursday afternoon.
The Red River at Drayton, N.D., will continue rising to near 42.6 feet by next Thursday, with additional rises possible. The river was at 36 feet Thursday afternoon.
Red River at Pembina, N.D.: Moderate flooding is forecast over the next several days. Moderate flood stage is 47 feet. The river is forecast to rise to almost 49.7 feet by next Thursday. The river was at 43.36 feet Thursday afternoon.
Reach Bonham at (701) 780-1110; (800) 477-6572, ext. 110; or send e-mail to kbonham@gfherald.com .
