Active flood warnings have climbed to 90 across nine states — up from 81 the day prior — as the Midwest flooding crisis continues to deepen, with Missouri bearing the heaviest burden and new alerts now reaching as far as Washington and Louisiana.
The National Weather Service has flood and flash flood warnings in effect across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington, and Wisconsin. The addition of Washington and Louisiana marks a geographic expansion from yesterday’s eight-state footprint, signaling the event is no longer confined to the Midwest corridor.
In Missouri, multiple river systems remain in active flood stage. The Grand River near Sumner — affecting Carroll, Linn, Livingston, and Chariton counties — is experiencing minor flooding with moderate flooding forecast, with the warning extending through Thursday evening. At 23 feet, bottomland one to two miles south of the gauge begins to flood. The South Grand River at Urich, affecting Bates, Henry, and Cass counties, is under moderate flooding conditions with moderate flooding still forecast through late Thursday morning. At 24 feet, inundation spreads across areas within 0.5 to 1.5 miles of the riverbank. The Little Osage River near Horton in Vernon County is also elevated, with minor flooding ongoing through late Thursday morning.
In the upper Midwest, Lake County in Illinois, Kenosha, Rock, and Jefferson counties in Wisconsin have also been flagged under active alerts, extending the warning zone into the Chicago-area periphery. Residents in Chicago weather and surrounding communities should monitor river levels closely through the end of the week.
The National Weather Service continues to issue its standard high-water caution: turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. The agency notes that most flood fatalities occur in vehicles.
With 90 active alerts now spread across nine states, the breadth of this event distinguishes it from a localized river flood. Forecasters have not yet signaled a rapid improvement in conditions, and Thursday evening remains the earliest expiration point for any of the current warnings. Residents along monitored waterways in St. Louis weather and across central Missouri should expect river levels to remain elevated into the overnight hours.
Updated river stage data and warning information is available through the National Weather Service at weather.gov.