CHARLES CITY — The Cedar River is expected to crest early Saturday at nearly 4 feet above flood stage. The National Weather Service categorizes that as moderately severe.

Area rivers are on the rise after the drenching rain Thursday night. Charles City recorded 2.87 inches at the airport. Nashua saw 3.45 inches, according to preliminary data. More important to area flooding is the 3 inches that fell upstream in Osage and less than an inch in Austin, Minn.

The Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Cedar River in Charles City:

• The warning continues until Sunday afternoon.
• At 10:30 a.m. Friday the stage was 12.4 feet.
• Flood stage is 12.0 feet.

* The river will continue rising to near 15.7 feet by Saturday morning. The river will fall below flood stage Saturday evening.

• At 15.0 feet, Leland Avenue floods, and flooding on Park Drive and 19th Avenue is likely.