The risk of flooding this spring is considered "above normal." That's according to the National Weather Service in its first Spring Flood Outlook for this year for the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
A hydrologist in the Davenport office, Jessica Brooks, says since there's so little snow in the upper Midwest, the main factor this spring will be rain.
The plains states are expecting above normal precipitation this spring, and some of that could move east, but Brooks says there are no other signs yet indicating how much rain we'll get in the coming weeks.
Currently, there's a 50 per cent chance the Mississippi will reach flood stage in the Quad Cities, and a 25 per cent chance it'll reach 2 feet over flood stage.
The flood chances are somewhat higher along the Mississippi downstream from the Quad Cities, because of snow still on the ground along some of its Iowa tributaries.
The National Weather Service will issue its second flood outlook in two weeks (3/3).
