NOW: Ice Jam Forming on the Missouri River in Bismarck/Mandan Area

Extreme Fire Weather Concerns for the Western U.S.; Severe Weather and Flooding Threats for the Central U.S.

Extremely critical fire weather conditions are expected to develop across the Great Basin and Southwest today, and exceptionally dry and windy conditions will promote rapid wildfire spread through the weekend. Scattered severe thunderstorms and heavy rain are possible across parts of the Ozark Plateau into lower Ohio Valley and parts of the northern Rockies into adjacent Great Plains. Read More >

...ICE JAM FORMING ON MISSOURI RIVER... Warm weather last week caused the loss of the ice on the Missouri River through the Bismarck and Mandan area. However, colder weather along with snow earlier this week has created sufficient ice moving downstream to once again fill in the river channel. As of Wednesday morning, ice has been collecting in the Fox Island area and restricting flow on the Missouri River. Water has been backing up on the Fox Island boat ramp parking lot. As ice continues to collect, increasingly higher water will move northward through the Bismarck and Mandan reach of the Missouri River. The river stage at the onset of this ice jam was 9.6 ft as measured at the Bismarck gage on the Missouri River. Water levels due to ice jams are difficult to predict, but given the starting water elevation, an eventual stage of at least 12.5 ft at the Bismarck gage is not unreasonable to expect. If you observe problematic high water, please report your observations to your local emergency management office.