The Great Flood of 1993

During a typical year, levees built along the banks of the Mississippi River keep the river in its channel and out of people's homes and fields. However, in 1993, an unsually persistent configuration of the polar jet stream and tropical high pressure produced thunderstorms and heavy rains that lasted for months. This video segment adapted from a NOVA television broadcast describes the meteorological conditions that created what was then the costliest flooding in United States history. Educational levels: Middle school, High school