Flood-weary residents in Missouri, Arkansas and Ohio fought to save their homes on Saturday after heavy rainstorms pushed swollen rivers out of their banks.

In Missouri, the surging Meramec River was expected to crest at a record 12 metres on Saturday — seven metres above flood stage.

Meanwhile, a fresh snowstorm blew through parts of the Upper Midwest. More than 30 centimetres of snow fell in parts of southern Wisconsin.

Nearly the same amount blanketed southeastern Minnesota.

"Everyone is pretty tired of the snow but I think most people will agree these types of storms aren't unusual in the spring," U.S. National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Davis said.

"These kinds of early-spring, late-winter storms are fairly common."

Affects religious observances

The timing of the storm was especially disappointing for church officials planning Good Friday services. Events were cancelled at dozens of churches.

"It was a hard decision but for the safety of everybody, especially of the elderly, we think it was prudent to make this decision," said the Rev. Jonathan Jacobs of Ascension Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.

Dozens of flights were delayed or cancelled at the Milwaukee and Madison, Wis., airports, leaving officials there bracing for larger crowds over the weekend.

At least 16 deaths have been linked to the weather over the past week, and two people are missing since their vehicles were swept away by rushing water in Arkansas.

The early-spring snowstorm was sliding through Detroit and much of Michigan's southern Lower Peninsula, making driving hazardous and forcing the cancellation of several flights.
 
The U.S. National Weather Service said the system was expected to dump up to 30 centimetres of snow in parts of the region as it tracked through the Ohio Valley on Friday and early Saturday.

Snow forced the cancellation of more than 450 flights and delayed numerous others at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, one of the world's busiest.

But spring's floodwaters continue to be the focus of concern in much of the Midwest.

Parts of the Midwest got 30 centimetres of rain over a 36-hour period this week, causing widespread flash flooding.