FARGO – Record-high May rainfall means the Red River is set to reach flood stage this weekend.
The rising Red could require the closure of a portion of Elm Street in north Fargo as early as this morning, the city said in a statement.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning after 3 to 4 inches of rain fell Thursday just southwest of Fargo. A total of 7.85 inches of rain fell this month, beating the record of 7.34 inches set in 1998, said Jim Kaiser, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Grand Forks.
Thursday's rainfall is "going to go into the Wild Rice River and into the Sheyenne River and come into the Fargo area," Kaiser said.
The Fargo Public Works Department typically closes the stretch of Elm Street between 14th and 15th avenues when the river reaches 18 feet. The Red is expected to crest at 19.8 feet Monday morning.
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Because of the rising Red, the Fargo Park District raised the pedestrian bridge at Lindenwood Park on the city's south side Friday. The bridge is expected to be back in use by later next week, depending on river levels.
The floating bridge at Dike East was removed Friday due to recent heavy rains. The Oak Grove pedestrian bridge will remain in place for now.
The past "wet three weeks" follows a record dry stretch of six or seven months, Kaiser said.
The Red was measured at 16.85 feet Friday afternoon.
