Heavy rains and thunderstorms stretching from the plains to the deep south are creating conditions that could lead to dangerous flash floods on Thursday.
The ongoing weather patterns, according to the Fox Forecast Center, are expected to continue across the region leading up to the Labor Day weekend.
As of early Thursday, flash flood warnings have been issued in various parts of Kansas, with reports of rainfall and storms affecting communities in the deep south stemming from the Central Plains.
The National Weather Service has received local reports detailing damage from strong winds in areas like Johnson City, Kendall, and Moscow in Kansas on Wednesday, with flooding also reported in Colby, Kansas, early Thursday.
Travel has been disrupted in Kansas, especially during the morning commute.
According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, stretches of Interstate 35 have been closed due to flooding, specifically between Mile Marker 18 and Mile Marker 22 near Wellington.
The Fox Prediction Center anticipates that hazardous weather will persist, pushing the threat of flash floods further south and east across the Central Plains, Ozarks, and deep south.
The most significant flood threat spans from parts of southeastern Kansas down to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Consequently, the NOAA’s Weather Forecast Center has assessed the area with a Level 2 flash flood threat for the day.
Due to considerable atmospheric instability, the Fox Prediction Center has warned that severe thunderstorms bringing rainfall rates of up to 3 inches per hour are possible, particularly near the warm fronts in the region.
Major cities at risk of flash flooding on Thursday include Tulsa in Oklahoma, Little Rock in Arkansas, and Jackson in Mississippi. Flood watches remain in effect for areas in southern Kansas, northern Oklahoma, southwestern Missouri, and northwest Arkansas.
Furthermore, the NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has noted that parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana are rated at level 1 of five for severe weather threats on Thursday.
As the weekend approaches, a front stretching from the Colorado Front Range to Florida is expected to carry low-pressure waves, along with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Given the moisture present in the atmosphere, the risk of local flooding persists across much of the South.
