US Flood Update: Flooding Impacts from South to the Appalachians to Continue Until Saturday [NWS]

Flooding impacts in the United States are expected to continue from the Deep South to the Appalachian Mountains until Saturday, January 27, according to the latest US weather forecast of the National Weather Service (NWS). Based on the US flood alert, flash flooding, urban flooding, or small stream flooding are possible from the southern US to the southern Appalachians through the weekend.

The forecast means that locations in urban areas and those near streams are vulnerable to quick-rising floodwaters caused by heavy rain, the weather service says. Moreover, similar torrential rain conditions, with high-elevation snow, is expected across the Pacific Northwest, while the Northeast is set for another round of heavy snow with mixed precipitation this coming weekend.

The looming flood threat that impacted the South is caused by the same storm system that submerged parts of San Diego, California, earlier this week. Now, this wet weather system has further moved eastward to the continental US, bringing risk of renewed flooding and rainfall events, which killed at least two people in San Diego, according to local reports.

US Flood Alert

The NWS' Weather Prediction Center (WPC), in its short-range US flood alert outlook, states there is a 'slight risk' of excessive rainfall from the Central Gulf Coast to the central-southern Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic regions starting Friday, January 26, until Saturday, as mentioned earlier. This is based on the WPC's forecast issued at 2:52 a.m. EST (local time) on Friday.

Earlier this week, the storm system that brought record-breaking flooding in San Diego also brought up to 10 inches of rain in an area near Houston, Texas. The system caused 33 million Americans under flood watches as it drenched the South with heavy rain. This comes after multiple storms associated with the current North American season brought extreme cold temperatures across the country.

The NWS also highlighted the continuance of snowfall in some parts of the Western US, including in the Cascades and the central-southern Rockies and Southwest. While the American West in the coming days may still experience persisting rain, the flood risk is expected to be relatively weaker compared with the Deep South and Eastern US.

Heavy Rain and Freezing Rain

The US weather agency is also forecasting the occurrence of heavy rain and freezing rain across the Northeast, particularly over parts of Northern New England, and the Pacific Northwest. These regions, along with the northern states, recently experienced wintry, blizzard conditions. It can be recalled in Chicago; that the Arctic air mass caused a "graveyard" for Tesla cars due to failed charging stations.

Earlier this month, an Arctic blast impacted the northern tier of the US and other areas of the country, causing a multitude of deadly winter storms, resulting in multiple deaths and flight disruptions, including delays and cancellations. US meteorologists even predicted the continuance of wintry conditions in February 2024.