RAIN...WARM TEMPERATURES AND SNOW MELT RESULTING IN RISES ON THE
MISSISSIPPI...MINNESOTA AND CROW RIVERS...

A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS WILL IMPACT THE AREA THROUGH
FRIDAY NIGHT PRODUCING SEVERAL WAVES OF RAINFALL OVER CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. EACH WAVE WILL MAINLY PRODUCE LIGHT RAINFALL
WITH AMOUNTS OF A QUARTER OF AN INCH AND LESS FOR EACH WAVE THROUGH
FRIDAY NIGHT. BY SATURDAY MORNING...TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS
WILL AVERAGE ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN THE CROW AND UPPER
MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY AREAS...WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS OF AROUND ONE INCH
IN SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...INCLUDING THE BLUE EARTH AND
LOWER MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY AREAS.

HIGH TEMPERATURES THROUGH FRIDAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE MIDDLE 30S
TO MIDDLE 40S WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER TO UPPER 30S OVER CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. FOR THE WEEKEND HIGHS WILL WARM INTO THE LOWER
TO MIDDLE 40S IN THE UPPER MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY TO 45 TO 50 IN
THE SAUK...CROW...BLUE EARTH AND LOWER MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEYS.
LOWS WILL MAINLY BE IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 30S.

THE WARM TEMPERATURES AND THE RAINFALL WILL INFLUENCE HOW QUICKLY
THE SNOW WILL MELT. THESE FACTORS WILL PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE INTO
HOW FAST THE WATER MOVES THROUGH THE RIVER SYSTEMS AND CAUSES THE WATER
LEVELS TO RISE. THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY AS TO HOW MUCH
MELT WILL ACTUALLY OCCUR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

ICE AND DEBRIS JAMS ARE ALSO A CONCERN AS THIS EVENT UNFOLDS.
IF YOU OBSERVE AN ICE OR DEBRIS JAM PLEASE REPORT THIS TO YOUR LOCAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IMMEDIATELY.
YOU CAN EMAIL REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE NWS VIA MPX.SPOTTER@NOAA.GOV.

THIS COULD BE A QUICKLY CHANGING SCENARIO SO PLEASE REMAIN ALERT FOR
LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE AREAL AND RIVER FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNINGS.

YOU CAN GET BOTH RIVER AND WEATHER INFORMATION ON THE
OUR INTERNET ADDRESS IS HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/MPX/


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ERICKSEN
Issuing Weather Forecast Office Homepage