GRAND FORKS – Snow dropped by the winter storm that moved across northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota on Thursday, April 20, and Friday morning, April 21, will not immediately affect river levels.
According to the National Weather Service, the late-week storm brought 4 to 6 inches of snow to Grand Forks, Grafton and Roseau. Much of northeastern North Dakota, including the Devils Lake basin and Langdon, got between 8 and 12 inches of snow.
During a flood update on Friday morning, Amanda Lee, service hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Grand Forks, said the precipitation dropped by the storm and a mid-week system that brought rain, snow and sleet to the region had a liquid water content of a half inch to 1 inch in many places. Most of that precipitation fell as snow, and because of continuing lower-than-normal temperatures, the new snowpack from the storm will take some time to begin melting.
“The good news is that it won’t be very rapid – it should be pretty slow going to get rid of this new snowpack that we have out there,” Lee said. “Overall, not too much impact to the rivers, but we will see a little bit of the potential for re-rises at some locations.”
Those below-normal temperatures continue through the end of April and into May, Lee said.
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In Grand Forks, the Red River of the North has been gradually climbing. As of Friday at 11:45 a.m., the Red River at Grand Forks had reached 40.3 feet, passing the moderate flood stage of 40 feet. The flood forecast on Friday shows the Red River at Grand Forks cresting around 42.5 feet sometime on Monday, April 24, under the major flood stage of 46 feet.
North of Grand Forks, the Red River at Oslo, Minnesota, has risen above the major flood stage, which starts at 36 feet. A gauge reading at 12:15 p.m. on Friday showed the river at 36.1 feet. Friday’s flood forecast shows the river remaining above 36 feet for the next seven days.
“(It) will hover around there for quite some time, which is not unusual,” Lee said.
Minnesota Department of Transportation crews closed Highways 220 and 317 north of Oslo on Thursday due to flooding. North Dakota State Highway 54 is covered at 36.5 feet.
The Red River at Drayton has passed the minor flood stage of 32 feet, with an 11:45 a.m. Friday gauge reading at 35.2 feet. Friday’s forecast shows it passing the moderate flood stage of 38 feet on Monday.
The Red River at Pembina had risen to 39.6 feet on Friday afternoon, above the minor flood stage of 39 feet. It is expected to reach the moderate flood stage of 44 feet on Tuesday, April 25.
Crests at Drayton and Pembina are beyond the seven-day flood forecast, Lee said.
“It could be a good 10 days to two weeks before the flood crest makes its way all the way up there toward the international border,” Lee said.
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Most tributaries of the Red River in North Dakota and Minnesota have already crested. The Goose River at Hillsboro was cresting around 13.5 feet on Friday afternoon, above the moderate flood stage of 13 feet. It is expected to recede over the weekend, but could see a slight re-rise late next week, Lee said.
As flooding continues, stay up to date with North Dakota and Minnesota road conditions at https://www.grandforksherald.com/north-dakota-road-conditions and https://www.grandforksherald.com/minnesota-road-conditions .
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