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Crookston is in the middle of a winter storm watch for the region issued by the National Weather Service, from late Saturday night to Monday morning. The storm system is expected to bring mostly rain and then a rain/snow mix to the southern valley, with most of the snow, more than six inches possible, falling along U.S. Highway 2 and to the north. The NWS says temperatures are critical in regards to what kind of precipitation will fall and when.
North winds from 20 to 30 miles per hour will usher in cooler air behind the system, although temperatures in the 40s are expected by the middle of next week.
Chances are, the winter storm watch will be downgraded to a winter weather advisory or upgraded to a winter storm warning as the system gets closer. For the latest weather news, click on the new AccuWeather page linked from crookstontimes.com's homepage. Click on "Full Forecast" in the upper right portion of the homepage, near the current temperature and conditions, to access the AccuWeather page.
So what does this storm mean for the spring flood? It would seem communities along the Red River are at the most risk to be negatively impacted. A fair amount of runoff has made its way into the Red Lake River in Crookston from several days of snowmelt, and the ice is starting to break up. For days the river in Crookston has been hovering between 14 and 15 feet. NWS hydrologists expect it to rise to around 16 feet by April 8. That outlook, no doubt, has the potential to change, however.
Check back later for more updates on the coming storm.
Newsroom bloggers include Managing Editor Mike Christopherson and News/Features Editor Natalie J. Ostgaard.
