"Heavy winter rains have left the Missouri and Mississippi River basins, from Iowa to Louisiana, at an elevated risk of moderate flooding through June, U.S. government forecasters said on Thursday.

The risk extends to eastern Texas and the southeastern Coastal Plain, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in issuing its spring outlook.

Early spring storms fueled by El Nino have already drenched areas of Louisiana, eastern Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas with up to 20 inches (50.8 cm) of rain, causing widespread flooding, said Tom Graziano, acting director of NOAA's National Water Center."

Julie Ingwersen reports for Reuters March 17, 2016. [2]