US Midwest braces for heavy rain, tornadoes: 88 million Americans to be affected; flood warning for Kansas, Missouri

More than 88 million people in the central United States are forecast to experience flooding as severe weather threatens several states in the Midwest and Northern Plains.

CBS News reported that about two dozen flash floods were reported Monday in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Additionally, flood watches remained in place for large areas of the Midwest, including most of Missouri and Illinois, as of Tuesday morning, with some extending further south through Tennessee and into northern Alabama and Georgia. Flood watches are issued when weather conditions indicate that flooding is possible but not guaranteed, affecting roughly 20 million people.

Read also | A Texas summer camp hit by deadly floods cancels plans to reopen

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center, the severe weather threat for major Kansas cities such as Topeka and Salina is expected to last through Thursday.

Very large hail and tornadoes likely

According to the National Weather Service, storms in the central Plains could produce “very large hail, strong wind gusts and a few tornadoes,” while heavy rain posed a risk of flash flooding in parts of the Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio valleys. Additionally, forecasters predicted up to eight inches of rainfall in some areas.

Forecasters warned that heavy rainfall in parts of Tennessee and Alabama could lead to “significant and life-threatening flooding” through Monday evening after up to nine inches of rain drenched the region on June 7. The fast-moving floodwaters triggered a flash flood emergency near Huntsville, Alabama, where videos showed vehicles partially submerged in roadways. The floods also stranded several motorists.

After the weekend storms, the harsh weather continues

This week’s storm comes on the heels of another that brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to parts of the country over the weekend, leading to at least one death in New York. An 86-year-old man lost his life after a tree fell on him on June 6 during a storm that brought damaging winds, rain and even hail. The New York City Parks Department said it received 259 reports of downed trees across the city on June 6.

Read also | Tornado hits North Texas: 2 killed, homes destroyed

Harsh weather also hit parts of the south. In Milam County, Texas, located about an hour from Austin, heavy rain on Saturday forced several vehicles off local roads and led to numerous water rescue operations. Meanwhile, in Slidell, Louisiana, nearly 6 inches of rain fell in 12 hours, causing flash flooding throughout the area.

In Brooklyn, where winds gusted to 64 miles per hour, video showed furniture falling over the deck of a rooftop pool. In another dramatic visual from West Virginia, winds blew a tent across the lawn and carried several people with it during a college basketball game between West Virginia University and Cal Poly.

Similar flood warning in May

According to NBC News, a similar flood warning was issued in May, when roughly 15 million people were flooded from Louisiana to Georgia as the region braced for more heavy rainfall and thunderstorms that could bring up to two inches of rain in some areas. Forecasters also predicted excessive rainfall to affect an area stretching from the Carolinas to western Texas. Large hail, damaging winds and several tornadoes were also expected in parts of southwest Texas, including Midland and Fort Stockton.