Flood Planes (Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks: how much, home, find a job)

[StartingOverAgain]

Hi, everyone.

I've just got a question: is Rugby or Bottineau in a flood plane? I'm wanting to relocate in ND after the new year, and the thought of being in a possible flood plane is scary.

Another area I'm considering is the Mott/Elgin area. I'm disabled, so it really doesn't matter where I live, except that I've got a teen aged daughter, and I want her to be able to find work within an hour's drive.

I'd sure appreciate any information.

[MikeyToo]

Originally Posted by StartingOverAgain

Hi, everyone.

I've just got a question: is Rugby or Bottineau in a flood plane? I'm wanting to relocate in ND after the new year, and the thought of being in a possible flood plane is scary.

Another area I'm considering is the Mott/Elgin area. I'm disabled, so it really doesn't matter where I live, except that I've got a teen aged daughter, and I want her to be able to find work within an hour's drive.

I'd sure appreciate any information.

I grew up in the Rugby area and me/wife next summer will be moving to Lake Metigoshe, just 10 miles north of Bottineau. I've never heard of any worries from flooding in either of these areas. Although, a couple years ago, there was some sandbagging on Lake Metigoshe because of some heavy rains, but I would not worry about flooding in either of these area. I believe your biggest concern from flooding in North Dakota would be if you were to live near a river, as heavy snow falls, with high amounts of spring rains, could make the rivers breach there banks. I know that the Red River which straddles the border of Minnesota/North Dakota has had problems over the years and Grand Forks was devistated with the Red River flooding. Having said that, I know a lot of investment has been put into shoring up dikes and other things to prevent that from happening again. DanInEGF may have some further input into that, since he is involved with weather in that area.
But, I wouldn't worry about the Bottineau or Rugby areas for flooding.
Good Luck on your move to North Dakota!.....

[StartingOverAgain]

Thank you, MikeyToo. I'd heard about the GF flooding, and more flooding in the Devil's Lake area, but hadn't heard much about Rugby or Hettinger Count areas. I guess in this case, maybe "no news is good news." Now that I've been seriously thinking ND, it's like it's gotten into my blood, and that's all I can think about!

[MikeyToo]

Originally Posted by StartingOverAgain

Thank you, MikeyToo. I'd heard about the GF flooding, and more flooding in the Devil's Lake area, but hadn't heard much about Rugby or Hettinger Count areas. I guess in this case, maybe "no news is good news." Now that I've been seriously thinking ND, it's like it's gotten into my blood, and that's all I can think about!

One thing is for certain, we don't have tornados like you guys do....

[DaninEGF]

Hi

I have relatives in Bottineau and we visit there often...and also drive through Rugby. Those two areas are not in any flood plains and are not prone to any spring melt or river flooding. The same is said for the whole area. Now...of course if you get a 5 inch rain you can always have basement flooding, etc just due to the extreme rain...but that hasnt happened in that area in a long long time. So no worries I would say for the areas you mentioned.

As for GF yep the Red River is a different animal. The big levee project to protect the cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks is now complete and will protect the cities to up to 60 feet crest. Fargo is still vulnerable though, but they have been lucky in the past in just avoiding a major hit.

Dan

[StartingOverAgain]

Originally Posted by DaninEGF

Hi

I have relatives in Bottineau and we visit there often...and also drive through Rugby. Those two areas are not in any flood plains and are not prone to any spring melt or river flooding. The same is said for the whole area. Now...of course if you get a 5 inch rain you can always have basement flooding, etc just due to the extreme rain...but that hasnt happened in that area in a long long time. So no worries I would say for the areas you mentioned.

Dan

Sheesh, apparently I had a brain malfunction there, and spelled plains as planes, sorry!

Now - back to the flood plains issue. Thank you, DaninEGF. After the Spring/Summer floods in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma this year, I've decided I just don't want to deal with soggy foundations. Plus, I've got some health issues and really don't need to deal with a bunch of mold, if I can avoid it.

I'm also curious about humidity in central ND. Cold humidity isn't really an issue, but hot humidity is really icky. Some of the posters on the forum mention that eastern ND has high humidity, but how about central ND?

[MikeyToo]

Originally Posted by StartingOverAgain

Sheesh, apparently I had a brain malfunction there, and spelled plains as planes, sorry!

Now - back to the flood plains issue. Thank you, DaninEGF. After the Spring/Summer floods in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma this year, I've decided I just don't want to deal with soggy foundations. Plus, I've got some health issues and really don't need to deal with a bunch of mold, if I can avoid it.

I'm also curious about humidity in central ND. Cold humidity isn't really an issue, but hot humidity is really icky. Some of the posters on the forum mention that eastern ND has high humidity, but how about central ND?

You might want to try out this website: NDAWN - North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network
A lot of information about weather that is reported throughout the entire state of North Dakota. Just pick the area and you can get real time data as well data throughout the whole year. Good Luck!!...

[DaninEGF]

Originally Posted by StartingOverAgain

Sheesh, apparently I had a brain malfunction there, and spelled plains as planes, sorry!

Now - back to the flood plains issue. Thank you, DaninEGF. After the Spring/Summer floods in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma this year, I've decided I just don't want to deal with soggy foundations. Plus, I've got some health issues and really don't need to deal with a bunch of mold, if I can avoid it.

I'm also curious about humidity in central ND. Cold humidity isn't really an issue, but hot humidity is really icky. Some of the posters on the forum mention that eastern ND has high humidity, but how about central ND?

Hi...
When someone says humidity....it is an interesting term. Usually Relative Humidity is used by TV folks....but that doesnt mean too much as it is relative to the temperature of the air. It can be 100 percent and 55 degrees...or 55 percent and 80 degrees. Which is worse....55 pct and 80 degrees as warmer air holds more than cooler air. So we go by dew point temperature which is a measure of how much moisture the air can hold. When temp and dew point are the same RH is 100 pct.

For your question...yes conditions in the summer favor higher dew points for longer periods of time in eastern North Dakota (roughly Devils Lake to Jamestown eastward). Drier west winds from the high plains of Montana frequently make it into western half of North Dakota in the summer month giving that part of the state much less time with humid, sticky conditions.

Minot/Rugby/Bottineau are on the fence between more frequent "humid sticky" summers to the east and much drier air to the west or southwest (like Williston/Bismarck). But no matter what...the humid/sticky conditions of summer are way much less than north Texas/srn Oklahoma. Usually our period of more humid conditions occurs from mid June through mid August mainly when crops are maturing. MikeyToo gave you a good website to compare weather conditions.

Dan NWS Grand Forks

[magiccity]

THere is one point that has missed. You mentioned that you have a teenage daughter looking for work. In the smaller towns, jobs are scarce to non-existant. Even in Bottineau where they are building a Wal-Mart, she'll be competing against a lot of people. Also, an hour's drive during the winter is not advisable for teenagers. It's bad enought for them to drive during summer, knowing teenagers have the highest accident rate. Also, an hour on the road when the deer are moving is also dangerous. Please consider about trying to find a job for her an hour away, speaking from a father of 3 teenage boys.

[StartingOverAgain]

Thank you Gentlemen.

DaninEGF, I figured it just had to be less sticky anywhere from NE up, but I saw several posts about humidity, and got a bit nervous.

And MikeyToo, thank you! Since weather issues (at least hot weather issues) aren't something I can learn to _adjust_ to, I need to know as much as I can about them.

Magiccity, you've got a very good point there. The issue for me is that I am on a limited income, and truly can't afford to live in the larger cities. I can best afford the smaller cities, but don't want to end up so rural that even getting groceries or medical care would mean a trip out of town. My daughter will be going off to College in two years, but I want to actually buy a home that I will live out the rest of my life in. I don't, however, want to worry about her on the road that long in a snow-storm. I guess I was being a bit naive there.