Winter Snows Bring Spring Flood Risk in Heartland

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Some communities in America's heartland are gearing up for a flood-soaked spring after getting hammered with unusually heavy snow this winter.

The National Weather Service says parts of Minnesota and the Dakotas are virtually certain to be inundated, as they have for the past two years. But this winter's snowy barrage has enlarged the danger zone.

Prospects for flooding caused by melting snow and spring rains are rated high or above average in river basins from northern Montana to St. Louis. Other potential trouble spots include the lower Great Lakes, eastern New York state and southern New England.

Even parts of the South experienced rare snowstorms. But there's no flood threat there because most of the region is suffering from drought and the ground easily absorbed the snow melt.