Gov. Tim Walz, officials give latest updates on Minnesota flooding

In a press conference today, Governor Tim Walz and FEMA Regional Manager Tom Sivak said that federal authorities are working to assess the impact of widespread flooding across the state and help residents recover from the "extensive damages" they've sustained.

Walz announced that a peacetime emergency extension for the next 30 days has been approved. He has submitted a federal disaster declaration but is still awaiting assessments from FEMA.

Many road closures remain in place across the state. However, highways including 15, 30, 75 and 169 in southern Minnesota are reopening or have reopened now that water levels have receded.

"We hope to be opening more roads up over the next few days," says Nancy Daubenberger from the Minnesota Department of Transportation. "We'll continue to monitor that watch as the water recedes, and we'll need to look for damages."

Crews will continue to inspect roadways and bridges, identify damage, and ensure they are safe for drivers.

While rain did fall Thursday night, National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Hawblitzel assures that it will not significantly impact the ongoing flooding.

"The good news is we are now going into another stretch of a drier weekend," says Hawblitzel. "[It] will allow a lot of these floodwaters to continue to recede, and that has been the case across much of the state so far."

The crest officials are paying the most attention to the Minnesota River, experiencing record-breaking flooding in Henderson, with 740 ft. of water .

"We will still see major flooding crawl across the remainder of Minnesota," says Hawblitzel. "That will continue to cause major flooding as it empties into the Mississippi River, and we expect major flooding at St. Paul."

The Mississippi River in St. Paul is expected to crest tomorrow at 21 ft, causing the city to declare a state of emergency.

The city has implemented flood protections ahead of the river's cresting, including the ongoing closure of Shepard and Warner roads, and flood defenses at Sibley and Jackson streets, according to the Pioneer Press.

Another city impacted by the Mississippi flooding is Hastings, which is seeing water levels rise towards its downtown area, with river levels expected to peak over the weekend.