7-day midwest forecast:

[phantom power]

[Frustratedlady]

1. No kidding! That is exactly what our weather prospects have been.

Surely, the system will move a state or two so someone else can have some of this rain. Enuf, already.

[Suich]

3. My son's ex-girlfriend lives in Urbandale.

Do you have any idea how things are there?

[Frustratedlady]

4. Here's a link to the closures in Des Moines. Urbandale is to the left of the map.

She should be fine.

http://www.dmgov.org/closuremap.htm

[Suich]

5. Thanks!

We have a lot of rain here but nothing like what you're going through. Hope things improve soon.

:)

[TwilightGardener]

2. Yep--that's about the size of it.

[Dead_Parrot]

6. Speaking of which...

Has anyone heard any speculation on the impact of the floods on agriculture? I've heard phases like "half of Iowa is underwater" kicking around, which I'm guessing isn't going to help the next harvest much.

[Tashca]

8. 50% under water....now that might be an exaggeration

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3453108

This might be closer.....I think you could say this is unprecedented.

[Dead_Parrot]

12. Thanks

20% is bad enough, I suspect. It could be a thin year...

[XemaSab]

7. 7 day California forecast:

Monday: 80 degrees, 40 mph winds coming from the north.

Tuesday: 85 degrees, 40 mph winds coming from the north.

Wednesday: 90 degrees, 40 mph winds coming from the north.

Thursday: 95 degrees, 30 mph winds coming from the north.

Friday: 100 degrees, 30 mph winds coming from the SOUTH.

:banghead:

[NNadir]

9. Friday seems like a change of direction.

Is that centigrade, fahrenheit, or kelvin?

[XemaSab]

10. Centigrade

:P

[NNadir]

11. Hot time in the old state.

It's what made me leave California ultimately, the constant weather.

Droughts this year or floods or both?

[XemaSab]

13. Certainly droughts, possibly floods

:shrug:

[NNadir]

15. I recall collecting shower water to flush the toilet.

I used to try to use rinse water from one dish to rinse the other dishes.

I still do that, in fact, even though by SoCal life is far behind me. I have a septic and a well, and doing this saves the system and money for energy.

During droughts here a few years ago, I used bathtub water to try to water some trees to save them.

It seems to have worked.

We're having decent rain here in New Jersey this summer, but a few very hot days seem to have effected many plants, except of course, poison ivy.

We're having a bumper crop of poison ivy in New Jersey. It is apparently one of those plants that really, really, really digs dangerous fossil fuel waste, the carbon dioxide portion any way.

[XemaSab]

19. I've read some articles about that

It's one of life's great winners, I suppose. :)

[jwirr]

14. Anyone know how to get through Iowa if you want to go from east to

west? I looked and think that Highway 18 or Highway 9 may be flood free?

[newfie11]

16. GOOD LUCK!!

I don't know where you are but it is my understanding I 80 and I 90 are closed. I 70 was closed in Indiana but I don't know if it still is. I have looked at so many state DOT sites I see DOT when I close my eyes.
We are leaving tomorrow for PA. We are going up to Fargo through Duluth, the UP of Michigan and down to Ohio then across.
All that water is headed downstream so we figured we would go up stream. I hope it works as it is our son's wedding in PA and we must be there.

[jwirr]

17. Thank you. The Iowa DOT just emailed me that Highway 9 is clear

and Highway 18 is closed at New Hampton with detours marked. So staying north is the best way.

[emmadoggy]

18. Yep. Hwy 9 should be fine now.

In fact, if you take 9, you will go through both the town where I live and my hometown. :hi: I know good 'ole Hwy. 9 very well.