Flash Flooding Risk from Northern Texas to Ohio Valley
Repeating, heavy showers and thunderstorms will threaten rural and urban areas from northern Texas to the Ohio Valley with flash flooding much of this week.
Oklahoma City has been hit hard with persistent heavy rain and flash flooding Monday morning. Other cities including Tulsa, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Cincinnati could suffer a similar fate in this pattern.
Oklahoma City may also be hit with more heavy rain and additional flooding tonight through Tuesday.
Spotty, isolated storms in the Deep South can also trigger flash flooding incidents.
A sea of tropical air and associated high pressure will remain anchored over the Southeastern United States this week.
A series of weak storm systems moving around the rim of this high pressure area will organize the showers and thunderstorms into clusters capable of producing several inches of rain in as many hours.
While this type of rainfall can produce flash and urban flooding all on its own, it is where the clusters of rain repeat that the greatest risk for serious and life-threatening flooding can occur.
This Doppler radar storm total rainfall estimate over Oklahoma spans the past 30 hours.
A half a foot of rain of rain fell in a several-hour period around Oklahoma City Monday morning. The flooding has closed several major highways around the city. Runoff was gushing through neighborhood streets like raging rivers. Water rescues were underway. In some cases rescuers also had to be rescued.
While a distinct storm system sparked the deadly flooding in Arkansas early last Friday, the overall scheme of the atmosphere is the same. Flash flooding of the magnitude of last Friday is rare. However, this pattern has the potential to yield similar consequences elsewhere as evidenced by the goings-on around Oklahoma City.
A number of mechanisms could easily lead to up to 6 inches of rain on a few unfortunate communities in this steamy pattern.
The air over the Deep South contains a great deal of locked-up moisture. While the extreme temperature of the air allows it to hold plenty of moisture, spotty thunderstorms forming in the heat or the approach of a front or disturbance can release the moisture in the form of tremendous downpours.
Campers should avoid low-lying areas along small streams or rivers in this pattern. Never drive through flooded roadways. It only takes of couple of feet of water or less to knock you off your feet or push your car into deep water.
If you are camping, have a battery operated radio handy to listen for warnings. If possible, have a cell phone that has access to the internet to view radars and approaching storms on AccuWeather.com.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 100° | Wink, TX |
| Low | 29° | Mullan Pass, ID |
| Precip | 1.17" | Chapel Hill, NC |
WeatherWhys®
People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.
This Day In Weather History
New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.
Northeast (1989)
More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).
Rough Weather
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