DAVENPORT, Iowa – A dangerous stretch of storms could dump as much as 8 inches of rain along the Upper Mississippi River basin this weekend, with the heaviest rainfall expected near the Iowa-Illinois border. The National Weather Service warns that repeated rounds of thunderstorms Saturday into Sunday will bring a significant flash flood threat to riverside communities.
According to the NWS Weather Prediction Center, slow-moving storms will begin developing Saturday afternoon and intensify overnight, with rainfall rates reaching 1 to 3 inches per hour. Widespread totals of 4 to 6 inches are likely, but areas from Muscatine and Davenport, Iowa, to Moline and Rock Island, Illinois, could push toward 8 inches by Sunday evening.
The Mississippi River is already running high in some spots, and heavy rain falling over saturated ground could quickly trigger flash flooding. Smaller tributaries feeding into the river, such as the Rock and Wapsipinicon, may also rise rapidly. Low-lying neighborhoods, farm fields, and riverfront roads could flood in a matter of hours.
Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 61 are among the corridors where water over roadways may become a hazard. Emergency officials urge residents to avoid driving through flooded intersections and to have multiple ways of receiving overnight weather alerts.
The most intense rainfall is expected from late Saturday through midday Sunday, with conditions gradually improving late in the day. However, forecasters caution that any additional rain early next week could prolong high water levels and flood concerns along the Upper Mississippi.
Officials are urging those in flood-prone areas to prepare now, charge devices, and be ready to evacuate if ordered. “Turn around, don’t drown” remains the safest advice for anyone encountering high water this weekend.
