More messy weather in the Great Plains, Midwest
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will slow down drivers during the day from the Rockies to the Four Corners, as well as in portions of the Pacific Northwest. Slow-moving thunderstorms across Washington state this afternoon will be capable of producing torrential downpours that may lead to flash flooding and minor/moderate delays for drivers. The areas most prone to flooding today will be from the Waterville Plateau into the Cascades. Over the past few days, some of these areas have received one to two inches of rainfall, and the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Flash Flood Watch.
The main concerns are north of I-94 in wildfire burn scar areas, as well as deep canyons around Wenatchee, Entiat, up Lake Chelan, along US-97 and the Methow Valley where mudslides and debris flows are possible. This could lead to potential roadblocks. Sections of US-2 across the Waterville Plateau may also be impacted near recently worked fields and near drainages.
A large upper low pressure system will spread another round of rain into northeastern Montana tonight into Wednesday. This system will be wetter than the previous two that hit this part of Big Sky country, and it will likely flood sections of the Milk River and its tributaries. Tributaries in other areas may also flood in response to possible heavy rains Wednesday and Wednesday night. The NWS has issued a Flood Watch for these areas north of I-94.
Tonight, storms could be particularly severe in the Great Plains from Nebraska and South Dakota, between I-80 and I-90, eastward to Iowa, southern Minnesota and sections of the I-29 corridor. Overnight drivers will have to watch out for areas of large hail, intense winds and localized flash flooding from Rapid City, Scottsbluff and Sioux Falls to near Des Moines and Omaha.
A mix of rain and light snow is possible today and this evening in the highest elevations of eastern Idaho, western Montana and northwestern Wyoming (Yellowstone National Park area). Temperatures will get cold enough overnight and Wednesday for snow to begin accumulating in some areas. This will not likely affect interstate travel, but many secondary roads in the mountains will be very slick.
Tropical update
Tropical Storm Gabrielle is losing steam as it moves through the North Atlantic Ocean, producing winds of 50 mph. Gabrielle may cause minor/short-term impacts to shipping routes and containerized cargo. Based on the latest outlook from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), housed inside the FreightWaves SONAR Critical Events platform, the storm is forecast to weaken more before approaching the United Kingdom later in the week.
The potential for new tropical development in the Atlantic basin is low at this time. However, mid-September is typically the peak of hurricane season (which ends November 30). Historically, most tropical storms and hurricanes take shape from August through October. So, watch for updates on the FreightWaves website and social media accounts.
Have a great day and be careful out there!
