If you have not been paying attention to the news recently, you may have missed the tremendous consequences of the very strong storm which passed through the central Plains earlier this week. In addition to record-setting wind gusts and low pressure, it provided blizzard conditions which caused a lot of problems for livestock producers, especially those with young calves. Heavy rain falling on top of a deep snowpack over frozen ground led to a massive snowmelt, which caused severe flooding in eastern Nebraska and adjacent parts of Iowa and South Dakota. At least one dam was destroyed in the flood and many highways were also washed away. Water rescues were needed for people caught in the flooding conditions, and three people have died so far. You can read more about the aftermath of the storm in the Omaha World Herald here and read about some lessons learned from Dr. Marshall Shepherd in Forbes.com here.
