Additional Precipitation Fuels Fears for Red River

(Fargo, ND) -- National Weather Service Meteorologist Greg Gust says he's concerned that additional precipitation from this weekend's blizzard could be pushing the Red River into dangerous territory.  Parts of the Red River Valley saw more than a foot of snow fall on top of saturated frozen ground from heavy fall rains.  Gust says there has been record precipitation in Grand Forks for the calendar year and the fall precipitation levels are the highest in 3 decades.  Fargo is currently sitting at more than 31 inches of moisture for the year, nearing the record of 34.76 in 2000.  And the Southern Valley, there has been near record precipitation this fall as well.  

"I'd say I'm pretty concerned," said Gust on the "Need To Know Morning Show on AM1100 The Flag.  "We've gotten 12 to 24 inches of snow in the last week.  I saw the fall scenario and north of Grand Forks there was water spreading out from the Red River that never had a chance to flow away and froze on the landscape, so even through the river went down, there was water that didn't get to the river.  It froze on the landscape and is sitting there ready to run when it thaws.  And I know how wet that ground is from Grand Forks to Wahpeton and I know how much snow is sitting there and I know our outlook for January through March says colder and snowier than normal.....So we're setting up to one of the worst precursory years we've had." 

Gust says one major unknown is how the snowpack will melt this spring, and if it's a late melt and the snow melts quickly it would be a worst case scenario for a river that already figures to be at high levels.