OSLO, Minn.-Aerial views of the Red River at Oslo show flooded island living for this Minnesota town of about 300.
A drone piloted by Forum Communications' Click Content Studios on Tuesday captured imagines of the swollen Red at 37.37 feet; the river is forecast to stay at about that level into early next week. The only two roads into Oslo, North Dakota Highway 54 and Minnesota State Highway 1, are closed.
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"The floodwave is somewhere between Oslo and Drayton at this point," said Amanda Lee, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "Eventually, (the Red) will make its way to Pembina. It's taking its sweet time."
The Red at Drayton stood at 41.87 feet Tuesday. It is forecast to reach 42.5 feet by Thursday.
In Pembina, the Red was at 45.04 feet Tuesday. It's expected to crest at about 51 feet early next week.
Water has receded on the northbound lanes of Interstate 29 about 20 miles north of Grand Forks, according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation. Both lanes are open and speeds are normal.
The NDDOT advises motorists to use caution as floodwaters continue to affect area highways. Portions of Minnesota State Highway 75, Highway 220, Highway 317 and Highway 1 are closed, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Lee said tributaries in North Dakota were "pretty quiet," but the Red Lake River at Crookston is showing a bit of a rise, thanks to the snow that fell last week. The river stood at 17.02 feet Tuesday afternoon. Flood stage is 15 feet, and the river could reach 21.5 feet Thursday.
Lee said a storm system moving into the region late tonight into Wednesday could drop about a quarter of an inch on Grand Forks. That likely will keep river levels elevated for a while, she said.
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The Red River at Grand Forks stood at 44.77 feet Tuesday afternoon. It had crested Friday at 46.87 feet and is expected to rise again this weekend to about 45.5 feet. Flood stage is 28 feet.
Leaders in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks don't anticipate any extra work from a possible second crest.
"It really just means, at this point, we'll continue to maintain the actions that we had," said Grand Forks City Engineer Al Grasser.
City staff in East Grand Forks will begin removing road closures near the Blue Moose Bar and Grill and Cabela's this week.
"You'll be able to drive across DeMers, through the next parking lot and out," said East Grand Forks Public Works Director Jason Stordahl. "DeMers (Avenue) itself, other than crossing it, will not be open."
Officials in both cities don't anticipate opening the Sorlie Bridge on DeMers this week. The departments of transportation in both states still have to inspect the Sorlie and the Point Bridge, Grasser said, and that can't happen until the river drops.
Grand Forks weather marked a spring milestone Tuesday. By early afternoon, the temperature in Grand Forks reached 61 degrees. The last time the area reached 60 degrees or warmer was Oct. 22. That's 176 days ago, if you're counting.
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