A pickup truck swept aside by flood waters in Norfolk, Nebraska on March 15, 2019 Photo : Nati Harnik ( AP ) Historic flooding has followed in the wake of the “bomb cyclone” that rammed into the central U.S. this week, with USA Today reporting that Nebraska experienced what may be the worst floods in half a century. Flooding has continued in swathes of Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska, according to CNN. Advertisement A bomb cyclone occurs when—as happened last week when a storm that began to form in the Southwest swept across the Central U.S.—pressure drops dramatically in a short period of time, a phenomenon known as “explosive bombogenesis.” It’s rare for one to happen in the inland U.S., and this week’s storm resulted in severe weather across a massive stretch of the country. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts characterized the situation on Friday as “historic flooding and extreme weather in nearly every region of the state.” Flood teams throughout Nebraska have been rescuing stranded civilians since Thursday, CNN wrote. CNN added that one man in the state, Columbus farmer James Wilke, received a distress call, headed out on his tractor, and died when a bridge collapsed: According to CNN affiliate KMTV, a close family friend posted on social media about his last moments. “It is no surprise to anyone that knew James that when he got the phone call to assist emergency responders ... his answers would be yes,” Jodi L. Hefti wrote on Facebook. “With the guidance of emergency responders, James drove his tractor over the Shell Creek bridge on the Monestary Road and the bridge gave out. James and the tractor went down into the flood water below.” Advertisement Some 15 members of a Platte Valley rescue team, which was assisting residents around King Lake, were stranded until Nebraska National Guard troops rescued them with a Black Hawk helicopter. At least four Nebraska state highways were washed out or damaged, USA Today wrote. Advertisement Altogether, the paper reported, disaster declarations had been in effect in 41 cities and 53 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Two additional people are missing and around 900 had to take refuge in temporary shelters. Advertisement While flood warnings and advisories remained in effect on Saturday in “parts of the eastern Nebraska, Iowa, and southern Wisconsin,” according to the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, much of the worst is over except along areas adjacent to the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers and their tributaries. “Numerous locations” in those regions will “continue to have major to historic flooding for at least into early next week thanks to heavy rainfall earlier this week falling on frozen ground and a deep snow pack that lead to intense and quick melting,” the center wrote. [CNN/USA Today]<doc-sep>Some rivers in the state will remain at record flood stage this week. Eastern Nebraska continues to deal with record-breaking river flooding this weekend due to rapid snow melt, ice jams and last week's rainfall. The flooding has caused parts of highways, including some bridges, to be washed away, isolating some communities. The scale of the devastation near Niobrara, Nebraska, is unprecedented as the swollen Niobrara River washed away a dam. Nebraska Emergency Management confirmed to ABC News that two people have died due to flooding. On Saturday, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts tweeted an aerial video of the devastation, which showed trees, roads and structures underwater. The Platte River, near Louisville, Nebraska, has crested, breaking a record that stood since 1960. The Platte River, near Ashland, broke its record from 1997, and the Elkhorn River, near Waterloo, swelled over 17 feet in the last five days to break a record from 1962 on Saturday. There are several other rivers in parts of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin that have risen into flood stage, including rivers near Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Rockford, Illinois. The American Red Cross is operating 22 shelters across the state, and the Nebraska National Guard had undertaken 111 operations as of Sunday morning, according to authorities. There are widespread flood alerts in the Central Plains and Midwest for river flooding. The good news is there is no notable precipitation coming to the region through the week. Brief snow from Illinois to Maryland Nearly the entire country remains quiet in terms of weather, but there is a compact, quick-moving disturbance moving through parts of Illinois and Indiana on Sunday morning. This disturbance will struggle to draw in much moisture, but as it slides off toward the Mid-Atlantic it could drop a quick period of snow from Illinois to Maryland. Some of the moisture will be in parts of Ohio and Kentucky by Sunday night before reaching parts of the Washington, D.C., metro area on Monday morning. Accumulation will not be significant, however, the system could cause a few slippery spots over the next 24 to 36 hours in the region. Temps rise out West High pressure remains firmly in control over much of the U.S. this weekend and will persist for a couple more days. Storms traversing the Pacific will be forced into southern Canada until the high pressure systems dominating the West finally ease up. The result of this is fairly mild weather across much of the country, including a good deal of sunshine. Much of the West will see a gradual increase in temperatures the next few days, with some of the most comfortable weather in months for the region. It looks like the high pressure will begin to ease around midweek, which would allow the next storm to move onto the West Coast, and eventually bring some effects to the central and eastern U.S.<doc-sep>(CNN) — The flooding in Nebraska has gotten so bad it’s breaking records across the state. About 9 million people in 14 states along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers are under a flood warning, according to CNN meteorologist Karen Maginnis. Some of the records go as far back as 1960 and some are as recent as 2011, according to a press release from the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, or NEMA. The majority of the records NEMA listed involved the Missouri River, which crested between 30 and 47.5 feet in different areas throughout the state since Tuesday, breaking previous records by 1 to 4 feet. The Platte River in Louisville is expected to crest Sunday at 14.3 feet, breaking its 1960 record by 1.9 feet, NEMA said. The Elkhorn River at Waterloo crested at 24.6 feet on Saturday, breaking its 1962 record by 5.5 feet. Much of the major flooding is expected to continue through next weekend, NEMA said. The Elkhorn River is the only river whose major flooding was expected to decrease to moderate on Sunday. Floods are remnants of bomb cyclone The continued flooding comes from the aftermath of the “bomb cyclone” that slammed the central United States with hurricane-like winds and blizzard conditions last week, leaving in its tracks heavy rains and flooding. Some devastating images from Fremont County where the levees along the Missouri River have failed. Pics courtesy of @B103_FM #iawx pic.twitter.com/kU3ZXB8Vwf — NWS Omaha (@NWSOmaha) March 17, 2019 CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford said the water left by the bomb cyclone goes into streams and then rivers, causing the cresting and flooding. “Just because it stops raining doesn’t mean rivers will stop cresting,” Shackelford said. “Rivers can crest days later.” Shackelford and Maginnis said flood risks will be high throughout the week in the Midwest and that river crests won’t stop until the weekend. The National Weather Service in Omaha issued a flash flood warning for localities along the Nebraska-Iowa border. Two deaths attributed to flooding Hundreds of people have been rescued, NEMA said. The American Red Cross is operating 22 shelters that are housing about 660 people. The largest population the shelters have seen is 1,193, NEMA said. Nebraska National Guard Nebraska National Guard performs an air rescue near Arlington, Nebraska. Two deaths have been attributed to the flooding. James Wilke, a Columbus farmer, died while trying to help emergency responders. Jodi L. Hefti, a close family friend, wrote on Facebook that Wilke got a call to assist emergency responders, according to CNN affiliate KMTV. Hefti said a bridge gave out while Wilke was driving his tractor over it. “James and the tractor went down into the floodwater below,” Hefti said. Nebraska National Guard Nebraska National Guard teams have saved dozens of people in the last 24 hours. A second Nebraska man died at a hospital in Lincoln after being caught in floodwaters across the state line in Iowa, according to the Fremont County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office. The victim, 55-year-old Aleido Rojas Galan of Norfolk, Nebraska, was one of three men trapped by flooding in the town of Riverton after their car was swept away and they tried to swim to safety. All three were rescued – Galan and another man were found “hanging onto trees,” according to the sheriff’s office – but Galan died from injuries, the sheriff’s office said. The car carrying the men had driven around a road-closed barrier then hit floodwaters, the sheriff’s office said. CNN’s Hollie Silverman contributed to this report.<doc-sep>At least one man is dead, two others are missing and nearly 900 people are inside temporary shelters amid the worst flooding in Nebraska in 50 years following a "bomb cyclone" storm that wreaked havoc across the Great Plains this week. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and the the state's national guard on Friday surveyed the damage – including flooded farms, homes, bridges and highways – caused by what Ricketts called "devastating flooding" that's perhaps the worst in a half-century. "This could last for quite some time,” he said, urging people to "watch the weather and waterways in their communities closely in the coming days, and be prepared for historic levels of flooding even if it has not hit their community yet." Nebraska has been in a state of emergency since Tuesday due to heavy rainfall. The massive "bomb cyclone" battered the central United States this week with heavy snow, howling winds and several tornadoes. Flooding has forced evacuations in Wisconsin, South Dakota and Minnesota as well. Stretches of interstates across Nebraska have been shut down. At least four bridges on state highways are washed out and damaged. The Nebraska National Guard on Saturday morning warned residents that it's still dangerous to travel despite the sun that finally appeared. "We repeat: It is still dangerous to enter any flood waters, and roads continue to be closed across the state," the Nebraska National Guard tweeted. "DO NOT TRAVEL unless necessary, and NEVER drive through flood waters." The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency has reported emergency declarations in 41 cities and 53 of Nebraska's 93 counties, largely in the northeast part of the state that includes the state's largest city Omaha. But NEMA set out to dispel reports that a nuclear plant, the Cooper Nuclear Station Facility, near Brownsville, Nebraska, is a threat to flood. "The photo below is FALSE NEWS — Cooper Nuclear Station Facility is operating at full power," NEMA tweeted. "They have 100% access via an alternate road." The Omaha-World Herald has reported one fatality, a farmer in the town of Columbus. James Wilke drove his tractor out to assist flood victims despite the howling wind and rain. Two others are believed to be missing. Wilke tried to cross a bridge, the newspaper reported, but it collapsed because of the tractor's weight, sending Wilkes into a rising creek underneath. His body was discovered around nine hours later near his farm. "He was always the first to go help somebody,” the newspaper quoted his cousin, Paul Wilke, saying. “He was a person who wouldn’t just talk about making things better. He would do it." Meanwhile, a levee breech in Fremont, about 50 miles northwest of Omaha, forced evacuations in some parts of the community to seek higher ground. The Nebraska-SW Iowa Region of the Red Cross has set up several temporary shelters across Nebraska for people to seek refuge. Red Cross has said they've served 880 folks so far.<doc-sep>
(CNN) — Parts of Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska are grappling with the aftermath of a powerful “bomb cyclone” that turned some areas into swamps as rivers spilled over highways and residential areas. The “bomb cyclone” slammed the central US with hurricane-like winds and blizzard conditions this week, leaving in its tracks heavy rains and flooding. In a news conference Friday, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said the state has experienced historic flooding in nearly every region. Nebraska has experienced historic flooding and extreme weather in nearly every region of the state. Today, Speaker Scheer of Norfolk and I surveyed some of the flooding. Including a few photos below. More here: https://t.co/O7T9hf4Siw#NebraskaFlooding #NebraskaStrong pic.twitter.com/H41REE1PLy — Gov. Pete Ricketts (@GovRicketts) March 15, 2019 “This is the largest widespread amount of flooding we’ve had in the last half century,” he said, according to CNN affiliate KTIV. Nebraska rescue teams have been pulling trapped residents out of flood waters since Thursday. Farmer’s tractor went down in flood waters James Wilke, a Columbus farmer, got a call to assist a stranger, and never came home. According to CNN affiliate KMTV, a close family friend posted on social media about his last moments. “It is no surprise to anyone that knew James that when he got the phone call to assist emergency responders … his answers would be yes,” Jodi L. Hefti wrote on Facebook. “With the guidance of emergency responders, James drove his tractor over the Shell Creek bridge on the Monestary Road and the bridge gave out. James and the tractor went down into the flood water below.” CNN affiliates KOLN and KGIN reported the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency confirmed a flood-related fatality in Platte County. The mayor of Columbus also told the affiliate stations that person was a farmer on a tractor out to rescue someone from the flood waters. Crews around Platte Valley were rescuing residents from King Lake when they were also stuck. Thanks to the @NENationalGuard for their great work with this rescue by Arlington today. #NebraskaFlood pic.twitter.com/Ri69TTqPRy — Gov. Pete Ricketts (@GovRicketts) March 16, 2019 Fifteen volunteers were stranded on the lake, eventually rescued themselves with the help of the Nebraska National Guard, which brought in a Black Hawk helicopter, according to CNN affiliate KETV. A second Nebraska man died at a hospital in Lincoln after being caught in floodwaters across the state line in Iowa, according to the Fremont County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office. The victim, 55-year-old Aleido Rojas Galan of Norfolk, Nebraska, was one of three men trapped by flooding in the town of Riverton after their car was swept away and they tried to swim to safety. All three were rescued – Galan and another man were found “hanging onto trees,” according go the sheriff’s office – but Galan died from injuries, the office said. The car carrying the men had driven around a road-closed barrier then hit floodwaters, the sheriff’s office said. Continued flood warnings The National Weather Service predicts “much calmer” weather in most areas this weekend,. However, flooding will persist throughout the Mississippi and Missouri river. “Anyone with interests along impacted rivers should monitor closely/take action,” the weather service said. Ice jams possible north of Hwy 30 this weekend. Generally minor/moderate river flooding into next week on many central Iowa rivers. #iawx pic.twitter.com/m0ydybyPuJ — NWS Des Moines (@NWSDesMoines) March 15, 2019 Many central Iowa rivers may see moderate flooding into next week from the rain and snowmelt runoff, the weather service said. A flood warning for northern and parts of central Iowa has been extended through Saturday evening as “local creeks and streams, as well as the main river branches are running high,” according to the weather service. In Wisconsin, Darlington officials said the city broke its flooding record, since the Pecatonica River crested at 18.2 feet in 1993, according to CNN affiliate KCRG. “This is the worst flooding we’ve had since then,” Darlington Police Chief Jason King said, according to the news station. “We’re hoping that the damage and the actual effects that it could have on businesses and residents will be minor.” CNN’s Hollie Silverman contributed to this report.