Latest flood forecast delays river's crest

This week’s cold snap has slowed the Mississippi River’s rise and may have granted homeowners in south Washington County’s flood-prone neighborhoods a temporary reprieve.

The river’s crest has been pushed back to sometime next Thursday, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service. This week's freezing temperatures delayed the crest.

Updated flood forecasts also predict a lower crest, one that Newport officials say will put floodwaters at the top of an 800-foot long levee that protects a low-lying riverside neighborhood.

But with more spring melt to come, a second crest is likely, warned Newport Public Works Superintendent Bruce Hanson.

"This is one crest, but you can definitely bet there’s going to be another crest,” Hanson said

Tags: minnesota flooding, weather