AccuWeather.com

By Katie Storbeck, Meteorologist

Jun 22, 2011; 5:15 AM ET

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The rising Souris River passes through Minot, N.D., Tuesday, June 21, 2011. (AP Photo, Teri Finneman)

"...the immense flooding set to unfold will become seared into the memories of residents in this area for decades to come."

About 12,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes by this evening in Minot, N.D., as the Souris River continues to rise. Flood levels are expected to reach record proportions across the area in the next few days.

The Souris flows right through Minot, the fourth largest city in the Peace Garden State. Mayor Curt Zimbelman stated on Tuesday that crews are working to secure the town's critical infrastructure, and once those have been secured, they will "start on these other areas trying to protect as many homes and businesses as possible."

Massive snowmelt from this past winter already threatened to create significant flooding woes across the northern Plains. Compounded by an unusual streak of wet weather in the same areas this spring, the immense flooding set to unfold will become seared into the memories of residents in this area for decades to come.

A whopping 6.22 inches of rain, nearly 4 inches more than normal, doused Minot in May. Another 2.49 inches has already inundated the storm-soaked town so far this month as well.

As of early this morning, the Souris River at Minot had reached 1,555.02 feet above sea level and was still rising. By Thursday the river will likely swell past the record stage of 1,558.00 feet set all the way back in 1881.

Record flood stage has already been exceeded along the Souris near the towns of Foxholm, Towner, Bantry, Westhope and Sherwood.

The current evacuations are the second time evacuations have been ordered for residents of Minot this month. Earlier in June, 10,000 people were forced to flee when the river rose to 1554.1 feet.

Dry weather will provide a bit of respite on the northern Plains through the end of the week. However, some spotty showers and thunderstorms could sneak back into the western Dakotas by the beginning of the weekend as another storm system slips past, although the meager amounts of rainfall will have little effect on the momentous flooding.