NWS: Flood risk situation improves for Missouri

ST. LOUIS -- Below normal rainfall over the past two months has significantly lessened the risk of flooding along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers in Missouri, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters had warned earlier this year that with the ground saturated and significant snowpack to the north, there was a high risk of flooding on the two big rivers and their tributaries. But a newly-released spring flood outlook says that the snow has melted, and rainfall has been below average, especially over the past month.

Hydrologist Mark Fuchs said that even though both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers are fairly high, tributary water levels are low and soil is drying out.

He said flood probabilities are now considered near normal for this time of the year, and actually below normal along the upper Mississippi River.

Fuchs warned the flood risk can change quickly if above-normal precipitation settles in. He noted forecasting models suggest a potentially rainy spring.