Days of Extreme Weather Will Put Flood Prone Areas All Over the US at Risk

Energy pulses moving across the eastern half of the United States will feed rounds of thunderstorms over a zone ranging from Missouri to Virginia, perhaps resulting in a days-long flood danger.

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"As we move beyond an active start to the week and look ahead to midweek, our emphasis changes west away from the Eastern Seaboard to a corridor of storms expected to form along a warm front heading eastward out of Missouri," AccuWeather Meteorologist Andrew Kienzle said.

On Tuesday afternoon, one of these energy surges in the sky is expected to cause severe thunderstorms throughout parts of the central United States, potentially disrupting the traffic along Interstates 29, 70, and 80.

On Wednesday, storms moving eastward from Missouri and Illinois will bring rain to parts of the Tennessee and Ohio valleys.

Also Read: Texas Tornadoes Provided Insights About Storm Chasing

Extreme Weather Incoming

On Wednesday night, another wave of rain and thunderstorms is forecast to pass over a similar corridor, dumping more rain on the already wet region.

Rain and storms are predicted to pick up again by Thursday over Kentucky, West Virginia, and parts of Virginia and North Carolina, posing new flood risks.

"A rush of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico will assist deliver plenty of moisture to these storms," Kienzle stated.

From the middle through the week, a 1,000-mile region from Missouri to Virginia could see rainfall totals ranging from 1 to 3 inches. Forecasters warn rainfall rates exceeding 1 inch per hour are possible in the most severe storms.

According to Kienzle, strong rainfall rates mixed with storms moving west to East could result in heavy storms delivering 2 inches of rain very fast in certain regions.

Local Storms

Intense local storms may cause flash floods and travel problems throughout the region. Additional dangers like

damaging winds and tiny hail in heavier storms cannot be ruled out throughout the lower Ohio Valley and along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains.

Excessive rainfall rates over the Ohio Valley may produce hazardous driving conditions from Wednesday through Thursday. Due to the increased possibility of heavy downpours and flash floods from storms, motorists driving along areas of Interstates 64, 70, 81, and 79 should exercise additional caution.

"The greatest of this rainfall appears to be concentrated in the Appalachian windward side. As these storms pour east over the mountains, the potential of heavy rainfall diminishes," Kienzle said.

Farmers and gardeners who have begun to sow crops and flowers after many rainy days may encounter washout or even slight damage to some more sensitive species. Gardeners and farmers may have difficulties with too wet soils and newly planted, uprooted plants.

Trajectory

As precipitation is pushed northward, the weather pattern from Texas to South Carolina will become drier from the middle through the end of this week. Residents will not be able to escape the heat as it moves eastward over the southern part of the country from Wednesday to Thursday.

On Wednesday, daytime highs of 90 degrees Fahrenheit will reach Birmingham, Alabama; Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia, and last through the week. Even Raleigh, North Carolina, will see temperatures in the mid-90s F later this week. Late this week, temperatures will be 5 to 10 degrees above average for this year at most locations.

Meanwhile, areas north and northeast of the storms may enjoy pleasant weather with occasional light showers. Around midweek, temperatures will be near average, but as the East warms, temperatures will continue to climb higher heading into the weekend.