Mississippi River Towns Prepare for Flooding as Melting Snow Heads South

Cities in Iowa and Illinois are likely to face a big test of beefed-up flood defenses in the next week as flooding from record snow in Minnesota courses down the Mississippi River. 

Some cities in Minnesota had record or near-record snowfall this winter and much of it rapidly melted as temperatures climbed to the 80s and 90s earlier this month. Rivers in Minnesota have been at major flood stage and are now starting to recede, but those peak floodwaters are heading for Iowa and Illinois.