"I don't care how old you are, you've never seen this in the valley."

If you are inclined to spare a prayer for the folks in the Red River Valley, now would be the time to do so:

Confidence in Fargo and Moorhead cracked Wednesday when the National Weather Service revised its crest predictions, raising the crest by a full foot. If the river does, in fact, reach 41 feet, that would eclipse the 1897 record level of 40.1 feet in Fargo and the 39.57 feet reached during the devastating 1997 flood.

Officials in Moorhead, MN are concerned enough that they issued a voluntary evacuation advisory today for the southern part of the city.

Winter decided to return and it's a mixed blessing at best. On the one hand, what hasn't melted yet will stay frozen for a little while longer. On the other hand, freezing temps are turning sandbags into bricks and making it more difficult to raise levees even further in light of yesterday's forecast update. And that 8" of new snow didn't make getting around any easier I'm sure. Check out this picture gallery at the Strib. Freezing and flooding. What a bitch.

Comments

[Rob]

I feel for those people. I know exactly what they're going through.

And then, this from the Trib site comments ... already:

"You need common sense - how many more homes will be built or bought in a flood plain?"

That sentiment can just go to hell.

[Dave E.]

I've been studiously ignoring the comments on the Strib stories since earlier this week for just that reason, Rob. The feeling of goodwill toward my countrymen has been taking a beating recently. It just can't take any more right now.