As if parts of the South haven’t had enough rain this spring, more is on the way this weekend. Flash flooding has been an unfortunate fact of life, and the risk may linger into next week in some places.
Showers and thunderstorms will linger on the Gulf and East coasts Friday as a frontal system stalls across these regions. Heavy rain could drench areas from southern New England to Florida to Texas. The National Weather Service (NWS) has a flash flood watch posted for eastern North Carolina and southern Virginia, lasting until noon EDT Friday.
Most of the heavy rain Saturday will target the lower Mississippi Valley, Arklatex region and eastern Texas. By late Sunday, moderate to heavy rain will spread northward into the middle Mississippi Valley, as well as the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. Repeated downpours will continue into next week, with rain totals of 6 inches or more possible by Wednesday morning.
Because the ground is already saturated from recent rain, and the impending rain will hit many low-lying areas, flash flooding may be inevitable in some locations. Drivers could run into ramp and road closures, especially on secondary routes. The NWS may issue additional flash flood watches over the weekend.
Severe storms
Thunderstorms could produce severe wind and large hail Friday and Saturday from eastern Montana to North Dakota and northern portions of Minnesota and Wisconsin. A few severe storms could also pop up Friday from the Carolinas to southern New Jersey. Severe storms Saturday may also strike upstate New York and northern New England.
Heat wave
Look for another unseasonably hot and possibly record-breaking day from the Las Vegas metropolitan area to southeastern California and far western Arizona. Highs in these areas Friday could crack 110 degrees, even 115 degrees in Death Valley.
The heat will also crank up Friday and Saturday in northern Utah, including Salt Lake City, where temperatures will exceed 100 degrees. The NWS has issued excessive heat warnings for all of these areas.
Unusually warm weather will also spread across parts of the Dakotas and the Great Lakes states this weekend. Highs will hit the 90s in many areas, with a few spots reaching triple digits.
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.
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