Uncertainty about the weather forecast could lead to anxiety as Fargo-Moorhead readies for another flood fight.
The National Weather Service released a winter storm watch Sunday, warning of a mix of precipitation over the Red River Valley on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A storm system from the Rockies looks to hit the northern Plains as early tonight. The storm should be here Tuesday morning, with precipitation continuing into Wednesday morning.
"It looks like it could be potentially bad," said Pete Speicher, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Grand Forks.
Speicher said the worst part of the storm looks to stretch from Devils Lake to Grand Forks, with areas seeing 6 or more inches of snow.
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Fargo would be on the southern edge of the system, making the weather more unpredictable. Speicher said Fargo could see 4 to 8 inches of snow, but that could be mixed with rain.
Fargo and Moorhead officials stated late last week that sandbags could be moved into needed areas Thursday to protect property from the flood. That time table may change with this weather.
Today looks to be the warmest weather, with temperatures reaching the high 30s before settling into the 20s for the rest of the week, with lows in the mid-teens.
Speicher said the below-freezing weather would stop the melting and rising of rivers such as the Buffalo in Sabin, Minn. Still, any snowfall would add to what would eventually melt.
Rain, however, would speed up the melt.
"If it would be rain, it would get things going pretty well," Speicher said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter John Lamb at (701) 241-5533
