American Morning
Recovery from Rhode Island flooding could take months
From Shelby Lin Erdman, CNN
(CNN) - Flood-weary residents in Rhode Island surveyed the damage as waters started receding, with officials saying Thursday the long-term recovery could take months.
"The Pawtuxet River, which impacts our community, crested," said Fire Battalion Chief Joseph Greenwell. "But at this point, there's widespread damage throughout the city from the river, which overflowed its banks."
The Northeast, particularly Rhode Island, battled flooded roads and basements for most of the week. Many of the schools in the region remained closed Thursday.
"We haven't had anything that's physically washed away yet, but the impact of the floodwaters rushing over the bridges and eroding the foundations of the bridges," Greenwell said. "The water is still too high to determine exactly what the damage is going to be once the floodwaters recede."
A rainstorm formed earlier in the week and soaked the Northeast on Tuesday, exacerbating the remaining effects of another major storm from two weeks ago. Rhode Island appeared to fare the worst. FULL STORY
Sandbags in place as Red River rises
(CNN) – (CNN) - The Red River kept rising to dangerous levels Friday as those in the area hoped they'd done enough to protect themselves.
Though the river is in a major flood stage, folks in Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, said they were optimistic after filling more than a million sandbags and stacking most of them.
"We're in good shape, and we have a lot of things in place in case there are any problems," Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker said.
Walaker said the river is expected to crest in the next day or two at a level close to 3 feet below last year's record flood level.
In 2009, the Red River set a record 40.8 feet at Fargo. As of 12:15 a.m. ET Friday, the river was at 34.61 feet, more than 16 feet above the flood stage of 18 feet.
Last week, warm weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and Moorhead, causing the Red River to swell. Upstream, snow and ice have yet to melt, pushing water back toward the two cities.
In Fargo, more than 700,000 sandbags had been placed around the city. FULL STORY
Fargo on high alert for flood
(CNN) – The danger is rising along with the Red River in Fargo, North Dakota.
Volunteers yesterday filled their one-millionth sandbag with not a minute to spare. The Red River is expected to crest this weekend at 38 feet.
The scene in Fargo is reminiscent of last year when the river hit a record flood level of over 40 feet. Fargo's mayor, Dennis Walaker, joined us on Thursday's American Morning to discuss the situation on the ground.
Read more: Fargo a fortress of sandbags
NOAA: A third of U.S. at risk for historic floods this Spring
(CNN) – Weather forecasters are issuing an urgent message to millions of Americans today: get ready for potentially historic flooding.
From the East, to the upper Midwest, and across the South from Texas to Florida, parts of 35 states could be in danger this Spring. Our Rob Marciano gives us a look at who is at risk and the damage the extreme weather has already left behind.
NOAA: Spring outlook
Deep freeze on Capitol Hill
With Washington's airports reopening this morning, the nation's capital is showing signs of life. The same can't be said for our government though, which is taking its fourth snow day in a row. Our Jim Acosta reports on the blizzard that has left Washington eerily quiet.
Maryland Gov.: 'A lot of digging out to do'
The big blizzard may be over for the Mid-Atlantic states, but the dig-out is just beginning. Maryland was hit with nearly two feet of snow yesterday and that is on top of the two feet it got over the weekend.
It could take days, maybe weeks, to clear all the roads. Governor Martin O'Malley wants his state declared a disaster zone. He joined us on Thursday's American Morning to explain why he has stern words for anyone griping about unplowed streets.
Related: Snow misery lingers in mid-Atlantic
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