What’s causing the devastating flooding in the Midwest?

By MICHAEL PHILLIS
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Heavy rains have caused record-setting flooding in parts of Iowa and South Dakota. The floods have forced evacuations and some basic services are disrupted. Lots of rain late last week fell on already-wet soil and flooded rivers. Rivers are likely to crest early this week and then flow into the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and cause them to swell, too. Heavy rain and flooding are not unusual in the region this time of the year. But climate change is increasing the amount of moisture the atmosphere can hold and leading to some wetter rain events.