Severe Storms Take Aim at the Central and Eastern U.S.
Christy Bowen
2 hours agoA series of storms moving across the country will bring much-needed rain to parts of the central and eastern U.S. in the days ahead. While the moisture will help to alleviate the expanding drought conditions, it will also come with added concerns of flash flooding. Here is a look at this unsettled forecast.
Threats of Flooding, Hail, and More for the Central and Eastern U.S.
The first week of the astronomical fall will feel more like summer with a forecast of severe storms and flash flooding for a large swath of the central and eastern U.S. The volatile conditions will come at the hands of a parade of slow-moving storms moving from west to east. The energy in these storm systems will pair with an influx of moisture coming up from the Gulf to support the development of repeated rounds of rainfall for the Midwest and the Mississippi and Ohio valleys.
The moisture machine is set to fire up after weeks of mostly dry weather that has been responsible for the expansion of drought conditions. According to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, a large portion of the eastern U.S. from the Mississippi Valley to the coast is under some level of drought. For instance, abnormally dry or drought conditions have taken over 59% of the Midwest and over 80% of the Northeast. These percentages are up 21% and 54% respectively from just four weeks ago.
The absence of consistent moisture has negatively impacted agricultural interests in the region. Some of the hardest-hit communities are also under water restrictions as rain has become increasingly hard to come by.
The first in the series of storms ignited in the Plains and the Midwest on Sunday. The line of moisture will continue to track to the east as the week progresses, eventually impacting over a dozen states.
The forecast is calling for several inches of rain in this zone between Monday and Friday. The surge of precipitation will likely trigger reduced visibility and ponding on roadways throughout the region.
Ground zero for the repeated downpours and threats of flash flooding will be in an area from Kansas and Oklahoma to the east into the Ozarks and the mid-Mississippi River Valley. The heaviest rain bands are forecast to set up in this zone on Monday and Tuesday.
The rain will be welcome in places as Springfield, Missouri. This city has only picked up slightly over 3 inches of rain dating back to the start of July. This equates to less than a third of a typical rainfall amount during this time period. It is not out of the realm of possibility that this amount of rain could come down this week alone.
The locally heavy rain is forecast to expand to the east into the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley, and parts of the Northeast during the back half of the week. Some of these bands of rain will be powerful enough to support the development of thunderstorms for millions of Americans.