The Mississippi River is one of the most important rivers in the United States. Rivers sometimes flood, causing damage. What type of conditions can cause spring floods? Why is some flooding on the Mississippi worse now than in the past?

Unusual floods struck throughout the basin during winter 2015-16, and more swamped parts of Illinois, Arkansas and Missouri after torrential rains in 2017. Snowmelt swells the Mississippi every spring, but the river reached flood stage in Memphis a month earlier than usual in 2018 due to heavy February rain