Spring Flooding Threat
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WEST JACKSON — The signs of Spring are finally here in West Tennessee with temperature in the upper 60s and low 70s. With the warmer temperatures comes the threat for increased flooding as we get into March and April. Forecasters say that the region is in line for above normal precipitation thanks to an abundance of groundwater from this year’s winter and snow melt across the northern tier. “Spring is the wettest season across this portion of the country in the MidSouth. For that we are looking for ample amounts of rain over the next couple of months,” Ben Schott says, Warning Coordinator Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Memphis. The increased chance for rain as well as snowmelt farther to the north worry many, especially farmers who have been through this before. “It kind of scares me to know that we might have to go through anything like that again because its hard to recover even if you do try to prepare,” Ginger Kamp says, R & J Farmer and Feed Supply Operator. “You know things like that are hard to recover from.” Forecasters say that abundant groundwater that has been soaked up like a sponge thanks to the busy winter will be one of the causes for minor flooding across the region. Snowmelt and a slow thaw across the northern portions of the Lower 48 will also lengthen and enhance the period of flooding across the region when heavy rain hits. The risk is minor now, but it is nothing to take lightly. “If we see one extreme rainfall event it can change everything in a moments notice. So when we are talking heavy rain to move later into the Spring that where people need to be very aware of what’s going on around them and to pay attention to the forecast and river stages in their neighborhood.” Schott says. Forecasters stress though that this is only an outlook and prediction to things to come. Remember to prepare now for when the next heavy rain event hits.
