As the LMRFC highlighted, the crest will keep the Lower Mississippi river at elevated stages through May and June.
It is crucial that many will be the locations to exceed their records above flood stage for many days in a row.
During the night time in 1st May, 2 to 6 inches of rainfall occurred over north Arkansas and Missouri.
Rises of 6 to 7 feet are expected on the Upper Mississippi above the junction with the Ohio River.
Cape Girardeau, MO and Thebes, IL are forecast to have Major flooding by the weekend, May 4-5. Significant falls are occurring on the Ohio River. Combined flows from the Upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers will cause rises of a one to two feet from Cairo, IL downstream to Helena, AR.
Minor to Moderate Flooding will continue on the Lower Ohio and Lower Mississippi Rivers the weeks following.
Additionally, significant rain conditions are expected in the two weeks following, whereas river forecasts are likely to change in the coming days.
The future rainfall over the next 16 days shows a crest of 54.5ft at Cairo, IL for the third week of May.
This rise would be two feet lower than previous flood crest of Feb/Mar and cresting conditions would not reach Baton Rouge and New Orleans until June.
