FREMONT COUNTY — Ice jams are creating minor flooding on the Arkansas River in Fremont County. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pueblo states that "emergency management reported an ice jam near the warned area", specifically "along County Road 119 along the Arkansas River near Florence"
This ice jam comes as a result of warmer temperatures on Wednesday after several days of below-freezing conditions. The warm temperatures allowed for ice to melt and break up on the river. Those broken pieces of ice flowing together create an ice jam essentially creating a dam in the water.
A flood warning is in effect for portions of the Arkansas River in Fremont County until 6 pm Thursday. The flood warning was canceled Thursday morning after a hydrologist with the National Weather Service visited Florence finding that the jam had broken up.
The NWS notes in their warning that "depending on ice behavior, any release of the ice jam could result in sudden rises of water, leading to a rapid flooding situation."
The NWS did tell our newsroom that even though the ice jamming has broken up in the area freezing temperatures are expected in the area over the next 24 hours and some ice jams could occur again.
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