Millions of Americans sweated through a torrid weekend as temperatures soared across the US as residents were rescued from flooding that forced evacuations across the Midwest. One person died during flooding in South Dakota, the governor said.
The National Weather Service said the worst of the heat wave would shift from the mid-Atlantic to parts of the Southeastern and Southern Plains on Monday, bringing welcome relief to major cities from Washington DC to Boston – but it could be short-lived are.
Many Americans were still sweating Monday, with more than 60 million people under heat advisories in 21 states. High temperatures were expected from South Dakota to Florida, and heat in the mid-Atlantic is expected to rise again as the week progresses, reaching triple digits again by Wednesday.
Parts of the Midwest that are already flooded can expect even more rainfall in the coming days.
This is what we know:
Floods kill one person in South Dakota
Water rose for several days on the borders of South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota.
In South Dakota, Governor Kristi Noem declared a state of emergency after severe flooding in the southeastern region. Several highways were closed. Areas south of Sioux Falls, the state’s largest city, received an estimated 10 to 18 inches of rain over three days, National Weather Service hydrologist Kevin Low said.
At least one person died in the flooding, Noem said Sunday, without providing details.
Josh Jurgens/AP
Several rivers, including the Big Sioux, James and Vermillion, were expected to peak sometime Monday through Wednesday evening, the governor said at a news conference.
“I want to remind everyone to remember the power of water and the flow of water, and to stay away from flooded areas,” Noem said. “We’ve got a few days ahead of us here, which will be a little tough, but we’ll get through it.”
Emergency management officials in the small South Dakota community of Dakota Dunes issued a voluntary evacuation order Sunday for the area’s approximately 4,000 residents. Located near the Nebraska-Iowa border, Dakota Dunes is sandwiched between the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers, both of which are expected to peak in the coming days. Emergency management at Dakota Dunes warned residents that a mandatory evacuation could come quickly if the flood defenses are breached.
Disaster declarations and evacuations in Iowa
In northwestern Iowa, 13 rivers flooded the area, said Eric Tigges of Clay County Emergency Management. Entire neighborhoods — and at least one entire city — were evacuated, and the town of Spencer, Iowa, imposed a curfew for the second night in a row on Sunday after floods that surpassed the 1953 record.
“When the flood gauge is under water, it is very high,” Tigges said at a news conference hosted by Spencer’s officials.
Gov. Kim Reynolds declared a disaster for 21 counties in northern Iowa, including Sioux County. No streets were visible in the local sheriff’s drone video, just roofs and treetops rising above the water.
Reuters/Chris VB
National Guard troops assisted with water rescues and transported needed medicines lost in floods.
“Businesses are closed. Main streets are affected,” Reynolds said. “Hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities have been evacuated. Cities are without power, and some are without drinking water.”
National Weather Service meteorologist Donna Dubberke said parts of northern Nebraska, southeastern South Dakota, southern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa received eight times the average average rainfall. And more heavy rain is expected in the coming week.
CBS Minnesota’s Jennifer Mayerle reported from Waterville that parts of the city were literally underwater Monday morning, and resident Lonnie Roemhildt said he had heard forecasts predicting even more rain.
“So we’re just bracing ourselves,” he said. “And hopefully it doesn’t get any worse than this. It’s ridiculous. I don’t even know if there’s a word for it. It’s just unbelievable.”
The area was under a state of emergency, which saw as much as 18 inches of rain fall over the weekend. National Guard troops were expected to arrive Monday to help residents deal with rising waters.
Minor to moderate flooding was expected along the Missouri River, according to officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“As long as the levees hold, we don’t expect any major impacts,” said John Remus, chief of the Corps’ water management division in the Missouri River basin.
Elsewhere, the heat was the biggest concern.
Heat wave advancing south
The cities of Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia all experienced record heat, and both the nation’s capital and Los Angles saw the mercury rise into the triple digits this weekend.
From the start of the week, the stifling temperatures were expected to move south, but caution would still be advised for many.
“We still have an extended heat wave in parts of the Ohio Valley and the Northeast,” weather service meteorologist Marc Chenard said Sunday. “We’ll get some relief early in the week, at least in the eastern U.S. and the Northeast, but overall, above-normal temperatures will blanket much of the country even into next week.”
“It’s more important for people who are outside to stay hydrated because heat, humidity and little wind can be a hazard even if you’re in good shape and not really used to it,” says Bruce Thoren. a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Oklahoma. “It happens quickly.”
Last year the US experienced the most heat waves since 1936, experts say. An AP analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that excessive heat contributed to more than 2,300 deaths, the most in 45 years of records.
