BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The American Red Cross has opened shelters in Billings and Laurel as the Yellowstone River reaches minor flood stage.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning from Monday through Thursday for the Yellowstone River at Billings and Miles City, but the flooding is not expected to be as bad as forecast last week.
Meteorologist Dan Borsum says the river is expected to reach flood stage of 13.5 feet (4.11 meters) Tuesday morning at Billings, crest at 13.6 feet (4.14 meters) Wednesday morning and fall below flood stage on Wednesday evening.
Borsum says the river will continue to run high for weeks because there are places in the mountains that still have more than 80 inches (200 centimeters) of snow that still has to melt. Forecasters are also monitoring for weather systems that might exacerbate the problem.