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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; At least minor flooding can be expected along the Susquehanna River over the coming days, but officials also acknowledge uncertainty over how high the water will rise before it crests.</p><p>Flood stage for the river at Wilkes-Barre is 22 feet. National Weather Service forecasts as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday predicted the waterway could crest at 22.6 feet at 1 p.m. Thursday.</p><p>That level would not impact structures but would cause land flooding in low-lying areas of Plains Township, Shickshinny and Plymouth Township.</p><p>Continuing rain later Tuesday kept pushing the crest forecast higher and later, however, with the possibility of heavy rain and thunderstorms continuing into Wednesday night.</p><p>As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, the river level was at 6.87 feet, and the forecast had been modified to project a crest of 22.7 feet at 8 p.m. Thursday.</p><p>The Wyoming Valley Levee protects its surrounding areas from flooding up to a river height of 42 feet.&nbsp;</p><p>The county&#8217;s emergency operation center is ready for activation if needed, Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri said Tuesday evening, adding: &#8220;We&#8217;re not there yet.&#8221;</p><p>The county is, however, &#8220;ready to provide assistance&#8221; in low-lying areas if needed, Pedri added.</p><p>The National Weather Service says &#8220;moderate flooding&#8221; begins at 28 feet and &#8220;major flooding&#8221; at 30 feet.</p><p>&#8220;River flooding extent and severity will depend on where the heaviest rain focuses tonight and Wednesday,&#8221; an NWS briefing issued Tuesday afternoon stated.</p><p>It added there was &#8220;significant uncertainty&#8221; at that point in predicting how high the river might get.</p><p>The highest river crest so far in 2018 in Wilkes-Barre was 27.4 feet on Jan. 25, according to NWS data. That&#8217;s when a massive ice jam on the river caused some flooding throughout the area, most notably in West Pittston.</p><p>The highest crest ever recorded came during the Lee flooding in September 2011 when the river at Wilkes-Barre reached 42.66 feet. The previous record was 40.91 feet during the Agnes flood in June 1972.</p><p>Officials pointed out that dangers are not limited to the river area, with flash-flooding possible around smaller waterways as well as in low-lying areas where rain might accumulate.</p><p>Pedri specifically cautioned residents to not drive through standing water.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">A view of the Susquehanna River about 6 p.m. Tuesday from the Nesbitt boat launch in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/web1_FullSizeR-10.jpg</photo0><caption0>A view of the Susquehanna River about 6 p.m. Tuesday from the Nesbitt boat launch in Wilkes-Barre. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Michael Reich</p><p>mreich@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

NWS: Expect minor flooding along Susquehanna, but ‘uncertainty’ over crest