A Week of Storms Floods Indiana as the Threat Spreads Through the Weekend

There is little relief in sight for the millions of Americans dealing with persistent storms in the Midwest, the Plains, and the Ohio Valley. The storm train that has been unleashing heavy rain, flooding, and severe storms across the central U.S. will linger through Monday. Here is what you need to know as you plan your weekend.

Level 2 Out of 4 Flood Risk in Effect Through Monday for Much of Midwest

The final official weekend of summer will be a wet one for portions of the Ohio Valley, the Midwest, and the Great Lakes. The stormy pattern will march right on through to Monday, disrupting weekend plans and causing travel disruptions.

The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) out of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood threat for a swath of the Midwest. The forecast is calling for widespread rainfall totals of 3 to 5 inches over the next few days. Some localized areas will pick up as much as 5 to 8 inches.

It has already been a soggy week for much of Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana. The influx of more moisture on Saturday will translate to an elevated threat of flash flooding. A Level 3 out of 4 flash flood risk has been issued for eastern Iowa, the northern tier of Illinois, and northwestern Indiana. This risk includes all of the Chicago metro area, a city that is expecting an additional 2 to 3 inches of precipitation through the weekend and into Monday.

Located about 30 miles south of Fort Wayne, the community of Bluffton, Indiana, experienced a flash flood emergency on Thursday. The Wells County Emergency Management Agency confirmed that officials had to lean on emergency sandbagging efforts to stem the tide. Several roads were washed out when the Wabash River overflowed its banks.

The first wave of storms this week brought flooding rainfall to portions of Iowa and Nebraska. For example, the major metro areas of Des Moines and Omaha have each picked up over 3 inches of new precipitation since Monday.

Stormy Pattern Will Persist Through Monday

A stalled front tethered over eastern Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois has served as the breeding ground for the storms that have erupted over the western and northern fringes of a massive heat dome to the south. Much of the southern Plains has notched the warmest start to the month of September in history.

A deep plume of tropical moisture coming up from the Gulf and the southwestern U.S. is fueling the storms and the accompanying heavy rainfall. In the short term, a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood risk is in effect through Friday for southern Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. This impact zone includes Minneapolis and Milwaukee.

A less intense Level 1 threat is currently in effect for Chicago on Friday. However, the Windy City will come under the threat of more potent storms on Saturday as the core of the activity drifts to the south. These storms will eventually track into the Northeast by the end of the weekend.

Weather changes fast, so help your community stay prepared. Share this story with friends, family, or your group chat, and keep your forecast in the now with Weather Forecast Now.