Flash Flood Threat: This Storm Pattern Could Dump a Month's Worth of Rain in Hours
Heavy rain is back in the forecast for a portion of the Plains, the Midwest, and the Mississippi and Ohio valleys this week, threatening flash flooding and travel delays. Here is a look at when and where to expect the potential for severe impacts in the hours and days ahead.
Flash Flooding and Other Severe Impacts in Store for Chicago and Beyond
A series of slow-moving thunderstorms will unleash pockets of heavy rain across many areas of the central and eastern U.S. over the next few days. Forecasters are warning that some of the hardest-hit communities could pick up a few inches of rain over a period of a couple of hours, supporting the development of flash flooding.
The strongest storm cells could pack severe impacts on Wednesday afternoon and into the overnight hours in a zone from the southern Plains and up into the Mississippi Valley. The heavy rain is expected to persist across the Plains states and the Mississippi and Ohio valleys into the weekend.
A surge of moisture coming up from Florida and the northeastern Gulf Coast will reach as far as the Appalachians and the Atlantic coastline by Wednesday and Thursday. The threat of rain showers and thunderstorms will continue to push through the north and into the northeastern U.S. for the balance of the work week.
Most of the thunderstorm activity is forecast to erupt along the western flank of an area of high pressure that is anchored just off the coastline. This will translate to the possibility of locally gusty winds capable of bringing down trees and power lines for the East Coast.
The nation's heartland will also be under the gun for the slow-moving thunderstorms well into Friday. Cities such as Chicago could experience urban flooding as the rain falls in potent waves. The worst of the storms will hit the Windy City late in the day Wednesday. Lingering rain showers could mean a soggy Thursday morning commute for this metro area.
The majority of the storms will follow the typical summer pattern of erupting during the afternoon and early evening hours with the natural heating of the day.
This same weather pattern will pave the way for a weak tropical disturbance to impact the Southeast heading into next week. We will continue to keep tabs on all of these developments in the days to come.
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