Midwest could see worst flooding in 20 years this week; East gets chilly: Monday's national weather forecast

Jordan Mendoza and Doyle Rice, USA TODAY
·3 min read
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Some of the Midwest's worst river flooding in over 20 years is likely this week as snow from a near-record snowpack melts.

The floods are expected to crest in the next week or so in the upper Midwest.

"River flooding is rising toward a crest this week in the upper Midwest and has reached levels not seen in over 20 years in parts of the upper Mississippi Valley," said Weather.com meteorologist Jon Erdman.

Elsewhere, chilly temperatures will pump the brakes on the recent warm spell across most of the eastern half of the nation as highs will be 20 degrees cooler than last week in the Midwest and East.

While the East shivers, most of California and the Southwest will see very warm weather this week, exacerbating flood worries in California.

Here's what to know about the national weather forecast for Monday:

Flood threat in Midwest

River flooding, primarily from melting snow, is ongoing this week across the Midwest, forecasters warned.

Specifically, the Mississippi River in Wisconsin and Minnesota is seeing its highest levels in over 20 years. Moderate to major flooding is forecast or will be occurring along

the Mississippi River through this week from a combination of snowmelt runoff and recent rainfall, the National Weather Service in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, said.

"Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas," the weather service said. "Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles."

Elsewhere, the Red River in North Dakota and Minnesota either has crested or will soon, Weather.com said.

Temperatures drop in the East

The Midwest and Northeast will once again have temperatures fall toward the colder end of the spectrum as "a handful of daily record low minimum and maximum temperatures are possible" in the area, according to the weather service. Overall, temperatures east of the Rockies will average 10-15 degrees below normal through the week.

"Across the Northeast, the normally colder spots are the locations more likely to see any frost, especially those in the Appalachians. Closer to the coast, major metro areas are likely to stay in the middle to upper 30s most nights, with minimal frost risk," AccuWeather said.

Overnight low temperatures could plummet to the freezing mark this week from Minneapolis to Columbus, Ohio, AccuWeather said. Cities such as Madison, Wisconsin, and Lansing, Michigan, could drop as low as the upper 20s, forecasters said.

It will be a complete reversal from a couple of days ago in Washington D.C. The high on Thursday in the nation's capital was 87 degrees, but it will be 62 degrees on Monday.

Here are some of the forecast highs in the East:

  • Washington D.C.: 62

  • New York: 62

  • Philadelphia: 62

  • Detroit: 49

  • Charlotte: 67

  • Boston: 57

  • Atlanta: 66

  • Cincinnati: 53

The West heats up

It won't be sweater weather for the West Coast, as Southern California – which spent much of the beginning of the year with rain – will be getting back to the warm side.

The weather service said "warmer than normal temperatures" will be expected in the Golden State and the desert areas of the Southwest. Temperatures jumped during the weekend, and by the middle of this week, temperatures could be in the 90s in the region.

Here are some of the forecast highs in the West on Monday:

  • Los Angeles: 72

  • Phoenix: 92

  • Las Vegas: 90

  • El Paso: 86

Marginal risk for severe weather in Florida

A cold front over Florida could bring strong-to-severe thunderstorms Monday, the National Weather Service said.

"The Storm Prediction Center does have a Marginal Risk for severe weather from Cape Canaveral on south to the Miami metro area," the weather service said. A marginal risk means isolated severe thunderstorms are possible.

The risk for severe wind and hail will persist in the affected area until conditions weaken in the evening, the weather service said.

US weather watches and warnings

National weather radar

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Monday forecast: Midwest flood threat, East sees cooler temperatures