Grand River Threat: Time to Prepare, Not Panic!

A Chill Wind and Troubling Tidings: Grand Rapids Braces for Potential Flooding

Folks, let me tell you, this isn’t the April we were promised. I just got back from checking the barometer – a fine, brass instrument, might I add, unlike these newfangled digital things – and it's telling me we're in for a bit of a spell.

Right now, out at the Gerald R. Ford Airport, it’s a chilly 39 degrees. Thirty-nine! In early April! Seems like Mother Nature forgot what month it is. A brisk wind is whipping through, gusting up to 30 miles an hour. Good for kite flying, I suppose, if anyone still does that. It's mostly cloudy, and while they're promising a bit of sun this afternoon, don't be fooled.

Now, here's the real concern. The so-called “experts” – and I use that term loosely these days – are predicting rain. Not just a little drizzle, mind you. They’re talking about a 40% chance of showers tonight, leading into a full-blown Flood Watch starting Tuesday morning and lasting right through Wednesday.

A Flood Watch! Now, I’ve lived in this area my whole life, and we've always had high water in the spring with the snowmelt, but these things seem to be getting…more frequent. More severe. I’m not one for blaming everything on climate change – these things happen in cycles, always have – but it’s something we need to be mindful of.

They’re saying the Grand River could crest, and folks living near the water need to be prepared. Sandbags, folks, sandbags! Remember what your grandfather told you. Don’t wait for the government to come save you, be ready to protect your own property.

A low tonight of 34 degrees on top of potential flooding? This is a situation demanding vigilance, and frankly, a little common sense. Stock up on essentials, check on your neighbors – especially the elderly – and let's hope this Flood Watch turns out to be just that: a watch, and not a warning.