US Weather Forecast: Heavy Rain, Flooding Expected from Southern Plains to Ohio Valley [NWS]

Weather forecast for the United States as of Friday, October 27, shows that heavy rain and flooding are expected in areas from the southern Plains to the Ohio Valley regions, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Affected states include parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, as well as Kentucky by Saturday, October 28. Other states across the region can also experience inclement weather in the coming hours and days.

Meanwhile, the weather service forecasted a mixture of warm and cold temperatures in different parts of the country this coming weekend, with cold weather in the north-central US and warm weather from the Tennessee Valley to the Northeast. The NWS also mentioned other weather hazards nationwide such as snowfall from the central Rockies to the central-southern Plains and fire weather threats in southern California.

Heavy Rain and Flooding Threat

The NWS' Weather Prediction Center (WPC) at 3:23 a.m. EDT (local time) on Friday warned that heavy rain and scattered flash flooding could extend from the southern Great Plains through the lower Ohio Valley. In addition, showers and thunderstorms may also occur for multiple days, leading to localized torrential rain also between the southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley.

The US weather agency also predicted heavy rain chances in central-northern Texas, southeast Oklahoma, and southwest Arkansas before spreading northeast across the Ozarks and far western Kentucky on Saturday. Similar rainy weather conditions may continue until the end of the weekend by Sunday, October 29.

Starting Friday, the weather agency has issued rainfall warning of "Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall" (level 2 out of 4) for each day until Sunday across the all the areas and regions mentioned earlier. The WPC explains that a strong autumn frontal boundary will allow for the said inclement weather to occur.

Warm Weather Forecast

The NWS also provided a short-range warm weather forecast nationwide, stating that the strong autumn frontal boundary will be the "main weather feature" impacting the US this coming weekend. In particular, this frontal boundary mentioned earlier is responsible for separating the record-breaking warmth in the southern and eastern US from an anomalous cold in the north-central US.

Although the weather service earlier forecasted an early-season snowstorm or winter storm in the Pacific Northwest, it also highlights an unprecedented heat in the eastern US and Gulf Coast. This is in addition to the strong offshore winds that will increase fire weather threats in the heat-stricken southern California.

First Arctic Blast

In addition to the threat posed by heavy rain, flash flooding, and record-breaking warmth, US meteorologists are also monitoring the first arctic blast of the country as a cold air mass from Canada rushes down into the northern US for the Halloween weekend.

Based on US weather data, forecasters on Friday stated that the northern tier of the US is expected to experience intense cold weather into the weekend due to a "deep low-pressure trough" descending into the country.