Flood Risk Expands From Kansas to Michigan as Heavy Rain Rolls In

More summerlike storms will continue to roam the eastern two-thirds of the nation in the coming days, putting the much-anticipated arrival of dry and cool fall air on hold for a bit longer. Read on for a closer look at when and where to expect the hazards in the coming weeks.

Tuesday's Storm Action Will Stretch from Kansas to Michigan

A wide swath of real estate from Kansas to Michigan will be under the gun for flooding by the middle of the week as repeated rounds of heavy rain continue to impact the nation's midsection. Monday's storm action across Des Moines and Omaha will expand on Tuesday, bringing the persistent moisture and thunderstorms to cities such as Kansas City, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit.

Tuesday's potential impact zone will cover much of the Plains, the Midwest, and the Great Plains. The heaviest-hit areas could see several inches of rain by the time that this weather maker wraps up late Wednesday. The greatest concentration of consistent rain is forecast to set up from the southeastern corner to Nebraska and into west-central Illinois. This trajectory will put much of Iowa in the path of the drenching rainfall.

The soggy weather pattern will do more than just disrupt commutes and outdoor activities. The timing of the rain could present problems for agricultural interests as the important fall harvest season begins. Saturated fields are a deterrent for farmers during the annual harvest.

In addition to the heavy rain, the ample humidity and lingering warmth will support the development of severe thunderstorms at times. This risk will be the highest from eastern Kansas across to southern Michigan.

Storms Head to the East Later in the Week

The calm start to the workweek along the East Coast will come to an end later in the week as storms ride along a cold front moving into the current mass of warm and humid air. The movement of this cold front will translate to a chance of storms across portions of the Ohio Valley, the Appalachians, and the Atlantic Seaboard.

Yet another wave of heavy rain is also on the horizon for the Upper Midwest later in the week as a new storm system ejects out of the Rockies and heads this way.

While storms fire up with regularity across the northern tier of the U.S., the southern Plains and the Southeast will be granted a reprieve from the daily action. Although you cannot rule out an isolated storm popping up here and there, it will be noticeably quieter than the widespread gusty storms that marked the last several days.

Even though the Southeast will enter a calmer period, meteorologists will still be watching the Gulf and the Atlantic for signs of tropical development. The waters in this part of the basin remain exceptionally warm, meaning that a surge of moisture could lay the groundwork for a tropical feature to form close to land.

The Atlantic basin set a new record on Saturday when the calendar reached September 12 without a hurricane on record for the season.

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.