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GRAND FORKS — Several roads in and around Grand Forks are experiencing overland flooding as rain fell throughout the day Friday and remaining snow from last week’s blizzard melted.
The Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office said around 4 p.m. that the most severe impact in the county was along Cole Creek, which is south of Grand Forks.
In town, the city of Grand Forks posted on Facebook that there was water going over the road on North 55th Street on the west end of town between Sixth Avenue North and University Avenue.
To the east of Grand Forks, there was also heavy rain causing flooding in Crookston. The Crookston Times reported that a vehicle was submerged in a ditch filled with water in town, no injuries were reported.
Authorities urge people to drive with caution.
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“Please do not drive around barricades or through water over roadways! Roads and culverts can wash out within minutes,” the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
As more precipitation is expected, the National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for some areas along the Red River, including along Grand Forks, Fargo and Oslo, Minnesota. The weather service said anticipated precipitation over the next few days will cause rises on area rivers to exceed minor flood stage. The weather service noted that crests are subject to change as additional forecast precipitation is accounted for within the river forecasts.
According to a weather service briefing report, Grand Forks and other parts of the region could see an additional 1.5 inches to 2 inches of precipitation between Friday afternoon and Sunday.
The Forum reported that as of Friday afternoon, areas south of Grand Forks had received almost an inch of rain, while Fargo had received 0.10 inches, according to the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network.
Severe storms, with risk of hail up to 1.5 inches and 60 mph winds, are possible for some portions of the region Friday after 9 p.m. and again Saturday afternoon, according to the briefing packet. Precipitation is expected to change to snow late Saturday night and continue into Sunday, along with strong northwest winds developing. Though any accumulations should be fairly light for most with the best chances for greater than 2 inches across the Devils Lake region, the NWS said.
Most of northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota is under a flood watch through at least Saturday evening. The watch includes areas along and north of Highway 200.
“Heavy rainfall may combine with antecedent frost depth, soil moisture, and ongoing snow melt to create overland flooding,” the weather service said. “Flash flooding may also occur where the
heaviest rainfall rates persist for extended periods of time. This will also cause additional rises in river levels as water drains into creeks and rivers.
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The Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office says if people come across water over a roadway, they should notify the sheriff's office as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, western North Dakota will likely get more snow from the system. Most of the western part of the state is under a blizzard warning, with snow accumulations between 3 inches and 7 inches. Winds could gust as high as 60 mph out west.
