Simon and Gulf Moisture Fuel Flooding Downpours From Texas to Illinois

The combination of a storm ejecting out of the Rockies and an influx of tropical moisture coming up from Mexico will translate to a rough stretch of weather for a large swath of the Plains. Read on for a closer look at when and where the storms are forecast to fire up this week.

Drought Relief on the Way for the Plains, but at the Expense of Flooding Issues

The nation's heartland will be dodging storms in the days ahead as a storm system approaching from the west meets up with the remnants of Hurricane Simon. While the sudden downpours will provide relief from the drought, the pattern will also raise the risk of flooding and travel delays in a zone from Texas through Illinois.

The greatest threat of flash flooding will set up in an area from West Texas to the northeast into southwestern Missouri. This area of impact includes the cities of Lubbock, Texas; Oklahoma City; and Springfield, Missouri.

This is a part of the country that has been dealing with extreme drought conditions since last winter. For instance, Oklahoma City has only picked up 55% of its normal rainfall for the year.

In addition to the moisture associated with the tropical weather in the Eastern Pacific, another influx of precipitation coming up from the Gulf will also fuel the repeated rounds of rain and thunderstorms across Texas and beyond. 

The storms will first fire up late Tuesday in an area from eastern New Mexico and West Texas to the north into western Oklahoma, Kansas, central Missouri, and the west-central portion of Illinois. Heavy downpours could trigger flooding concerns at this time. The strongest storm cells could also generate hail and winds up to 70 mph.