Near perfect thaw/melt conditions this spring has the potential to reduce the flood threat on the Red River, according to the U.S. National Weather Service in a flood/snowmelt update issued Thursday out of its Grand Forks office,

Favourable temperatures and dry conditions have resulted in a slow and gentle snowmelt.

The weather service says if conditions in the next several weeks continue to follow a pattern of slow melting during the day with some refreezing at night, along with dry weather conditions, most locations can expect to see reduced river levels peaks from the snowmelt.

However, that outlook is still contingent on future precipitation.

Favourable temperatures and dry conditions are expected to prevail this weekend and into next week, however, flood forecasters say a weather system expected to arrive in the middle part of next week could affect the flood outlook.