By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
While area rivers and streams have receded and some roads have reopened, forecasters are watching for more potentially heavy rainfall across northwest Missouri this week.
While the heaviest rain is expected to stay to the south and east of St. Joseph, thunderstorms could bring periods of heavy rainfall to the region Monday night into Wednesday, aggravating already saturated streams and soil.
National Weather Service meteorologist Brent Pesel from the Pleasant Hill office says the atmosphere remains very saturated, which has allowed for several rounds of, at times, heavy rain.
"We already are seeing some rivers and streams becoming aggravated by rain that is falling into them," Pesel said. "There's just so much moisture in the atmosphere that we have enough for it to rain for quite awhile."
Pesel says widespread severe weather is not expected in northwest Missouri or eastern Kansas this week.
"However, that is not to overlook the flash flooding potential that these storms have," he said.
Areal flood warnings remain in effect for Buchanan, Clinton, northern Platte, Andrew and DeKalb counties in Missouri, as well as Doniphan and northeast Atchison counties in eastern Kansas until late Monday.
Pesel says depending on how the storms this week track, these warnings could be extended and areas where water has receded could become overly saturated again.
"If you do get a heavy rain shower just going right over your location, you could see some flash flooding," Pesel said. "Especially along roadways, parking lots and if fields are already saturated, you could see some pooling in fields."
MoDOT, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement and fire/rescue conducted multiple motorist water rescues in northwest Missouri from Thursday night and into the weekend.
There were 26 total rescues in the Andrew County town of Amazonia, while one motorist near Clinton County's Gower passed away after her car was swept away by flood waters on Saturday morning.
Pesel reminds motorists to always check the forecast and road conditions if you must travel during periods of heavy rain.
"Make sure that you are weather aware as rain continues to fall and that you have a way to get updates."
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