Election Day Brings Severe Storm Risk From Texas to Missouri
It is being billed as one of the most consequential midterm elections of all time. Will the weather hinder the ability of some Americans to get out and vote? As is typical for early November, you can expect a little of everything from Mother Nature. Here is what the forecast is saying about what to expect on Tuesday.
Mix of Conditions Along the East Coast
While much of the nation will enjoy relatively pleasant weather by early November standards on Election Day, heavy rain and thunderstorms could make for a messy day for some voters. High pressure will be the story for the bulk of the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic, and the eastern edge of the Ohio Valley. Major urban areas such as New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh will all enjoy pleasant weather if they have to stand in line to vote. In addition to the dry conditions, temperatures will also hover slightly over the seasonal average for this time of the year.
Showers could pop up briefly along the coastal region of South Carolina and Georgia throughout the day. It will also be another day of intermittent rain for Florida. Although the rain is not forecast to be as intense as what the Sunshine State experienced on Sunday and Monday, wet roads could still be an issue for voters.
Storms for the Gulf Coast, Mississippi Valley, Plains, and Midwest
The nation's midsection will be the most at risk of severe storms. A large swath of real estate across the central and western Gulf Coast and up through Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, western Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana will be under the gun of thunderstorms throughout the day.
Storms are most likely to turn severe in a zone from eastern Texas and Louisiana to the north into Arkansas and Missouri. Some areas of Mississippi may also see severe weather. Potential impacts include wind gusts hitting 50 to 60 mph, hail, flash flooding, and isolated tornadic activity.
Voters need to be aware of the hourly forecast when heading out to cast that ballot. Rapidly changing weather conditions as the storms roll through could lead to significant travel delays.
It will not be quite as stormy heading farther north into the Midwest. However, you cannot rule out the chance of an errant thunderstorm and periods of heavy rain across portions of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. Be sure to leave extra time to get to the polls if you live in this region.
Moving to the west into the deep Plains states, the rain will start to ease as the day progresses. However, this part of the central U.S. will be dealing with windy conditions that whip up on the backside of the rain system. Wind speeds are forecast to increase throughout the day.
Mostly Dry in the Western U.S.
The Southwest will finally start to dry out after being hammered with flooding rainfall over the last few days. However, just because the rain is not falling anymore does not mean that flooding and runoff will not be an issue. Some parts of the battered region may still be dealing with road closures and bridge washouts.
High pressure will continue to dominate the Pacific Northwest, delivering favorable conditions for voters. The populated Interstate 5 corridor between Seattle and Portland will remain dry.
Heading down into California, it will be mostly dry for most of the Golden State. The exception will be the chance of scattered rain showers from San Francisco Bay to the north. The day will not be a total washout, but voters will want to prepare for wet roads that could lead to minor travel disruptions.
There are no meaningful weather concerns on tap for Central and Southern California. It will be clear sailing for the millions of voters in San Diego and Los Angeles.
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