Severe weather is possible over a large section of the Midwest today, with the risk of flash flooding over four states in the northern plains. Heat alerts have been issued for the South and Pacific Northwest, and a tropical development could develop early next week.
Severe weather in the Midwest brings risk of flash flooding
Strong thunderstorms are possible on Friday over an expansive region that includes portions of the West, Midwest, and Great Lakes region. States that may be affected include Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has issued a Level 3 severe weather risk for central and eastern North Dakota; north-central, northeastern, and central South Dakota; and west-central, north-central, and northwestern Minnesota.
The SPC has also issued a Level 2 severe weather risk over seven states including portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is warning of heavy rain capable of producing possible flash flooding over central and eastern North Dakota, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and Northeastern South Dakota. The NWS also issued a flood warning for Western Colorado and eastern Utah.
Weekend storm forecast
According to the latest 3-day forecast by the NWS, scattered thunderstorms across the nation on Saturday could bring heavy rain with the possibility of flash flooding over portions of New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Continuing thunderstorms on Sunday are likely for a large swath of the East, while another chance of flash flooding in the Southwest over New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
Heat alerts for South, Southeast, Pacific Northwest, and Southern Plains
The heat in the South is expected to continue through early next week but may begin to ease in several regions.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued the following heat alerts for Friday over portions of the Pacific Northwest, the Southern Plains, the South, and the Southeast on Friday.
Excessive heat warning: southeastern Louisiana; southern Mississippi; southwestern Georgia; northwestern Florida and the Panhandle.
Heat advisory: western Washington; western and southwestern Oregon; northern and north-central California; eastern Wyoming; western and southern Arkansas; central and eastern Texas; Louisiana; central, southwestern, and southern Mississippi; central and southern Alabama; southern Georgia; Florida.
Tropical development possible by early next week
A tropical depression or storm could develop in the eastern Atlantic soon and head toward the Windward Islands, before moving into the Caribbean Sea next week, the Weather Channel reports. An area of disturbed weather currently off the coast of Western Africa and designated as Invest 94L is being monitored by the National Hurricane Center and has currently been given a 40-60% chance of development within the next five days.
