Five years after the Missouri River flood, climate scientists still struggle to predict when the next one will happen. South Dakota State Climatologist Dr. Dennis Todey says more data is needed to make accurate forecasts.

Todey says agencies that monitor the weather and flood potential have a better picture of current river conditions than they did five years ago.

One area that still needs improvement is overall information gathering. Todey says monitoring precipitation in South Dakota is a challenge because radar and other sensors don’t cover the whole state.

One-way people can help is through the Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow Network, or CoCoRaHS (coco-raws). Todey says observers with CoCoRaHS observers have helped predict recent floods in Sioux Falls and Midland, South Dakota.