High temperatures and rain could cause flooding as new year approaches

By Jim Hagerty
Staff Writer

Area residents may be in for a wet weekend, as warmer temperatures and rain could causing flooding in parts of the Rock River Valley.

Along with unseasonably high temperatures, rain is expected Friday, Dec. 31.

According to the National Weather Service, the combination of precipitation and existing snow could cause ice jams on Rock River.

Rain and temperatures near 50 degrees are expected Friday.

“We are entering a warming period,” Rose Sengenberger from the National Weather Service in Romeoville said. “Because of the rain, the existing snow will be melting quickly.”

Sengenberger said Friday’s rain is not expected to be heavy, however, residents near the river could experience flooding.

“The rain, alone, is not our concern,” Sengenberger said. “It should be a standard rain. We are worried about areas where flooding could be a problem.”

As of press time, the Rock River was not near flood levels. To be safe, Winnebago County Emergency Services is making sandbags available for concerned residents.

Sandbags can be obtained at the Michalsen Office Furniture parking lot, 8010 N. Second St., in Machesney Park.

Sengenberger said residents should check basements and gutters for leaks throughout the weekend.