Global Courant 2023-04-14 18:19:34
The National Weather Service said New Mexico emergency services rescued at least two vehicles from high water in Jemez Pueblo, north of Albuquerque, on April 13, 2023. The mayor of Salt Lake City signed an emergency order on April 12, 2023 to assist residents whose homes were threatened by the flooding in the southwestern part of the city. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum made the National Guard available to help fight flooding. in the coming weeks and declared a state of emergency.
A rapidly melting spring snow after an unusually wet winter causes flooding from the Southwest to the Rockies, forcing residents there and in the Upper Midwest to evacuate or stock up on sandbags amid fast-flowing creeks and rivers.
In New Mexico, emergency services rescued people from at least two vehicles Thursday night from high tide in Jemez Pueblo north of Albuquerque, the National Weather Service said.
But there were no immediate reports of deaths or serious injuries. A flood warning was in effect for communities along the Jemez River until next week.
In Flagstaff, Arizona, neighbors on a street have been working side-by-side with shovels since Tuesday to prevent flooding from their homes.
Three creek retention ponds installed last year helped better navigate the water flowing down from the burned mountains above the city, officials said. Still, water flooded the shoulder of a local highway and several roads and sidewalks were closed this week as the weather warmed and snow melted, making its way into neighborhoods. Parts of city trails were also flooded.
Officials said it was a scenario that came with no playbook.
BUFFALO AREA SET UP FOR POSSIBLE NEW THREAT: FLOODS DUE TO MELTING SNOW
“It would be nice to have an exact model of what we need to do, but we don’t have that,” Flagstaff Vice Mayor Austin Aslan said. Arizona daily sun. “We don’t know what the next fire will look like, or where that scar will be. There are small differences that will lead the water to one neighborhood or another.”
Sandoval County in north central New Mexico has issued a declaration of emergency following severe flooding in communities near the Jemez River.
No evacuations had been ordered, but residents in an area between Jemez Pueblo and Jemez Springs that regularly floods in the summer rainy season were collecting sandbags as a precaution. A local police chief estimated that a dozen homes and other buildings along the river are at risk of flooding.
“Warm temperatures continue to rapidly melt snow cover, increasing river flows,” the National Weather Service in Albuquerque said Thursday night.
The flood also led to the overflow of a wastewater treatment plant, which brought recycled water into the Jemez River. The US Forest Service advised people not to fish or drink water in the river south of the plant.
In Salt Lake City, Mayor Erin Mendenhall signed an emergency order late Wednesday to help residents whose homes were threatened by flooding in the southeastern part of the city. Rapidly melting snow in nearby mountains caused water to rush through a nearby stream, leading to the voluntary evacuation of about 100 homes.
The water receded as cooler weather moved into the area. Still, multiple mudslides were reported on canyon roads, including one that forced the temporary closure of Interstate 80 southeast of the city early Thursday.
On Wednesday, local officials north of Salt Lake City issued evacuation orders for at least 20 homes in Kaysville, where flooding caused a large gash that damaged a street, sidewalks and driveways in a substructure that was under construction.
Local officials issued evacuation orders for at least 20 homes on April 12, 2023, in Kaysville, Utah, as temperatures rose and snow poured through the streets. A record-breaking snow season has raised fears of spring flooding from the Rockies to the Southwest as the weather warms. (AP photo/Rick Bowmer)
Meanwhile, heavy snow and high temperatures expected to reach 60 degrees Thursday caused flooding in northwestern Colorado, where transportation officials closed Highway 40 between Craig and Steamboat Springs, a popular ski resort that has received more than 400 inches of snow this winter.
Flooding in the small mountain town of Hayden forced schools to close. Rain was predicted Thursday afternoon, with the expectation that it will turn to snow tonight.
PHOENIX EXPERIENCE RIVERBEDS, FLOODS IN THE SOIL DUE TO HEAVY SNOWMELT
The Colorado Department of Transportation posted photos online showing Dry Creek flowing over its banks near a bridge there, as well as floodwaters threatening several parked recreational vehicles.
The National Weather Service said some roads could become impassable over the weekend and urged motorists not to drive through flooded intersections.
However, there were no reports of major damage in Utah or Colorado on Thursday.
In the Northern Plains, a rapidly melting snow and possible showers in April fueled fears of severe flooding. Residents have collected thousands – if not hundreds of thousands – of sandbags to hold back water.
The Red River Valley, which includes Fargo in North Dakota and Moorhead in Minnesota, experienced one of the snowiest winters on record. Heavy rains can cause the river to rise quickly, Moorhead city engineer Bob Zimmerman told Minnesota Public Radio.
Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz said at a news conference Thursday that the state is ready to respond with financial aid for flooding if needed.
He added that warmer temperatures and rising water levels due to climate change have contributed to the state’s months-long preparation for the spring flood season.
Local, state and federal public safety and emergency management partners have stepped up monitoring and preparedness efforts, according to the state’s Department of Public Security.
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North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has declared a statewide state of emergency for spring flooding and has made the National Guard available to help fight flooding in the coming weeks, the Bismarck Tribune reported. The city of Bismarck opened sites for residents to fill their own sandbags.
The Milk River in northern Montana was expected to rise to its highest level in more than a decade and flood some rural areas.
Riverside emergency services in Glasgow patrolled the levee protecting the city of about 3,200 people to make sure it held, Valley County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Rick Seiler said. Shelters were arranged in case low-lying areas needed to be evacuated.
The National Weather Service said the flooding would continue for the next week.
Heavy rain fell in the region on Thursday, as snow continued to pile up at higher elevations, Seiler said.
