Nation Battles Deadly Weather Systems (VIDEO)

Winter storm watches and warnings that have been issued, and the death toll from the storms and flooding has risen to at least 14.

Weather maps and video courtesy: AccuWeather.com

(NATION ) - A clipper system today will spread heavy snow across the Upper Midwest. Fortunately, rain along the southern edge of the storm will not impact the serious flooding in the heart of the country.

Spring has arrived, but winter still dominates the weather across the northern tier of the nation.

The Winter Weather Center reports that, through Saturday, the clipper will spread a narrow band of 3 to 6 inches of snow from southeastern North Dakota to the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia.

The hardest hit area, where up to a foot could fall, will stretch from southeastern Minnesota through southern Wisconsin, north of Chicago and into northern Indiana and Ohio.

The Severe Weather Center lists the winter storm watches and warnings that have been issued.

Madison, Wisonsin, is in the zone of heaviest snow, which is not good news for the state capital. This winter, Madison has recorded 92 inches of snow, shattering the previous record of 76.1 inches set during the winter of 1978-79.

High pressure building over the Gulf Coast has brought much-needed dry weather to the heartland after two days of severe storms sparked deadly flooding. Flood levels have reached record levels and many locations will experience the worst flooding since flood record keeping began 80 years ago.

The Severe Weather Center lists the widespread flood warnings in effect from northeastern Texas to the lower Great Lakes.

On Wednesday, President Bush declared a federal disaster in Missouri. Seventy counties and the city of St. Louis are eligible for federal aid for emergency protective measures.

Dozens of small towns along the Meramec River south of St. Louis are under water. Yesterday, officials in Fenton, Mo., put out an urgent call for volunteers to help sandbag its downtown area. The Meramec is expected to crest at 43 feet on Saturday in Eureka, Mo., eclipsing the December 1982 record flood of 42.9 feet.

The rising Mississippi River is expected to crest this weekend at 44.5 feet at Cape Girardeau, Mo., more than 10 feet above flood stage.

Other river levels reported recently include:

• White River (Newport, Ark.) - 32 feet, 6 feet above flood stage
• Skillet Fork River (Wayne City, Ill.) - 23 feet, 8 feet above flood stage
• Black River (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) - 21 feet, 5 feet above flood stage

The Associated Press reported that rising water Yesterday morning closed about four miles of the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 in central Ohio, while the northbound lanes of heavily traveled U.S. 23 were flooded at Interstate 270 on the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio.

Authorities in Findlay, Ohio, closed streets Wednesday after the Blanchard River went above the 11-foot flood level for the tenth time in the last 15 months.

The death toll from the storms and flooding has risen to at least 14. The latest victim is a woman whose car was swept away by floodwaters near Wilmington, Ohio, on Wednesday. The woman had clung to a tree for hours before she was rescued; she died a short time later at a hospital.

The calmer conditions across the southern tier of the country coincide with yesterday's arrival of spring, while winter continues to hang on in the Northeast.

The East Regional News story reports that the storm system has moved into Canada's Maritimes. Winds wrapping around the back of the storm have gusted above 40 mph, while heavy snow will continue to fall across northern New England through early this morning.

The blustery conditions will continue today. Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet reports that the cold weather will be reinforced east of the Rockies through Monday.

Source: AccuWeather.com
Video