The rain that is pouring along the US Midwest and Great Plains has closed refineries, flooded streets and led to problems for the Mississippi River traffic. What is more, there is no sign of that this situation will stop soon, coming to add to the US’s most wet 12-month period ever recorded.
Heavy showers are taking place all the way from Texas to the Great Lakesm with this situation expected to continue this week as well, according to David Roth, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center.
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Due to the rains, the Arkansas River is expected to set flood in Van Buren, Arkansas, and the Toad Suck lock and dam in Conway. For this reason, the Army Corps of Engineers is watching closely the situation to determine if the Morganza spillway in Louisiana must be opened to address the flooding.
What is more, Bloomberg reports that some parts of the Mississippi and other rivers are flooded since last fall. In addition, Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas and Topeka, Kansas, have all experienced more than normal rain until May 23.
Regarding the refineries, the floods have reduced the flow of oil at US’s biggest supply hub in Cushing, Oklahoma. In fact, HollyFrontier Corp. started closing two Tulsa refineries, which are able to process 155,000 barrels a day.
However, even if flooding does not continue, it will be enough to curb freight traffic on the Mississippi. Namely, the Mississippi had closed through St. Louis Thursday due to high water and fast currents.
