"Floods could follow ice, Arctic cold in Midwest; Anxiety level rises with temperatures as snowfall melts" by Michael Tarm, Associated Press | December 28, 2008
CHICAGO - Rain and rapidly rising temperatures accompanied by thick fog threatened to cause flooding yesterday in the Midwest after days of Arctic cold, heavy snow, and ice.
Thick ice on roads that contributed to dozens of deaths had thawed, and mountains of snow turned into pools and streams of water. "It's a catch-22," said Marisa Kollias, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Transportation. "We're getting rid of one problem, the ice, but we're getting another problem with the flooding."
The National Weather Service posted flood watches and warnings yesterday for parts of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri. As much as 2 inches of rain fell in two hours during the night in west-central Illinois, the National Weather Service reported. And as warm air collided with cold, the Weather Service posted tornado watches for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas.
After subzero temperatures in places earlier in the week, yesterday morning's readings were in the 40s as far north as Cheboygan, Mich., at the top of the state's Lower Peninsula, the Weather Service said. However, up to 7 inches of snow may fall in the state today, the agency said....
Rapidly freezing temperatures?
Temperatures also were rising in the Pacific Northwest, which has been pummeled by deep snow. In Portland, Ore., a couple inches of rain was expected to wash away much of the 19 inches of snow that by one measurement had made December the city's snowiest month since January 1950.
"Once we start to see rain, it'll really melt down," Weather Service meteorologist Charles Dalton said. "It would be a good wager to say it's going to be gone by the end of the weekend."
In Seattle, meteorologist Johnny Burg was optimistic there wouldn't be any major flooding in western Washington yesterday despite warming temperatures and melting snow that feel in the week before Christmas. In eastern Washington, 4 to 7 inches of new snow fell overnight in the Spokane area, where it began snowing a week before Christmas.
Slippery roads and cold have been blamed for at least 44 deaths this week....I blame the MSM and their damn GLOBAL-WARMING FART MIST, too!!!
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