Flash flood warnings in effect as severe weather threat grows in central US
By
Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Apr 29, 2021 8:26 AM EST
Professional storm chaser Reed Timmer drove through a tornado in Benjamin, Texas, on April 27. Reed Timmer and his colleagues collected scientific data, rode out the storm and made it out safe.
Following an eruption of severe weather in the Plains Tuesday and Wednesday, an expansive area of the southern United States will be at risk for potentially damaging thunderstorms Thursday.
Severe storms plodded across the Plains Tuesday night, producing at least one radar-confirmed tornado and large hail.
This radar image, captured at midday on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, shows intense thunderstorms (red) over the south-central United States. (AccuWeather/NOAA)
The National Weather Service office at Norman, Oklahoma, reported at 11:08 p.m. Tuesday that there was an ongoing radar-confirmed tornado nearby Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Shortly after, residents reported flash flooding in the streets of Pauls Valley. The NWS said there were reports of stranded cars in the city as well as water in buildings. Pauls Valley is located about 58 miles south of Oklahoma City.
Hail the size of baseballs fell across Texas Tuesday, in locations such as Paducah, and Truscott, Texas, as wind gusts up to 80 mph were reported across the area. The NWS office in Midland, Texas, issued a flood advisory early Wednesday morning.
There were multiple tornado-warned thunderstorms on Wednesday based on radar. The danger with some of these storms is the potential tornadoes they may be wrapped in rain and extremely difficult to spot as they approach neighborhoods.
The NWS office of Tulsa, Oklahoma, found EF1 tornado damage in Pittsburgh county, including uprooted trees, a destroyed outbuilding and damage to a home.
"The survey will continue tomorrow as heavy rain this evening made it hard to survey the damage," said NWS Tulsa.
Severe conditions are not finished with the South Central states yet, AccuWeather forecasters warn.
This image, taken early Thursday morning, April 29, 2021, shows flood watches (darker greens), flash flood warnings (lighter green) and tornado watches (red) in effect over the south-central United States. (AccuWeather)
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has also issued a large area of marginal severe risk Thursday from Texas to Pennsylvania.
"Another threat will be flooding, as the thunderstorms may also contain very heavy rain," Adamson said. Any areas that have multiple thunderstorms will have an enhanced risk of flash flooding.
The flood threat will extend northeastward into Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio on Thursday, although there will only be a low threat of severe thunderstorms, according to Adamson.
Areas of Oklahoma racked up near 7 inches of rain during Tuesday and Wednesday's torrential rainfall event.
Several NWS offices, including Tulsa, have issued flood watches that run through Thursday morning. The office in Springfield, Missouri, has issued a flash flood watch through Thursday morning as well.
In some areas, the heavy rain can flood fields, damaging crops that have already been planted, or delaying planting in areas where farmers are still prepping fields, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda.
The heaviest rainfall of 4-6 inches is expected to fall at rates of 2 inches per hour at times
"Where downpours repeat in this corridor, the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 10 inches could be achieved," AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
Forecasters urge drivers to follow the saying "turn around, don't drown" when coming across flooded roadways.
Looking ahead, this stormy pattern is expected to continue through this weekend.
"The southern branch of rain and thunderstorms is expected to cut off from the main jet stream flow and move slowly through southeast Texas and along the Gulf coast states this weekend," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely to impact areas that have already received above-average amounts of rainfall during April, which can lead to flooding along the Gulf coast.
New Orleans has received over a foot of rainfall throughout April so far, which is 3 times the average amount of rain there. This is not uncommon across much of the central Gulf Coast.
Fortunately, not all areas of the South are rain-weary, as these thunderstorms could be "very beneficial across Texas where drought conditions are present," according to Pastelok.
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Over 65% of Texas is currently considered to be in moderate drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor. These areas are primarily in the south and west, though major cities like Houston have also been lacking in rain this month.
The Space City has reported less than an inch of rainfall all April, which is about 21% of its normal amount this far into the month. El Paso, Texas, has had only 0.01 of an inch so far this April, a mere 5% of normal, as the month nears its close.
Though oftentimes severe storms can wreak havoc across the South, drought relief can be a silver lining for Texas this weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
Flash flood warnings in effect as severe weather threat grows in central US
By Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Apr 29, 2021 8:26 AM EST
Professional storm chaser Reed Timmer drove through a tornado in Benjamin, Texas, on April 27. Reed Timmer and his colleagues collected scientific data, rode out the storm and made it out safe.
Following an eruption of severe weather in the Plains Tuesday and Wednesday, an expansive area of the southern United States will be at risk for potentially damaging thunderstorms Thursday.
Severe storms plodded across the Plains Tuesday night, producing at least one radar-confirmed tornado and large hail.
This radar image, captured at midday on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, shows intense thunderstorms (red) over the south-central United States. (AccuWeather/NOAA)
The National Weather Service office at Norman, Oklahoma, reported at 11:08 p.m. Tuesday that there was an ongoing radar-confirmed tornado nearby Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Shortly after, residents reported flash flooding in the streets of Pauls Valley. The NWS said there were reports of stranded cars in the city as well as water in buildings. Pauls Valley is located about 58 miles south of Oklahoma City.
Hail the size of baseballs fell across Texas Tuesday, in locations such as Paducah, and Truscott, Texas, as wind gusts up to 80 mph were reported across the area. The NWS office in Midland, Texas, issued a flood advisory early Wednesday morning.
There were multiple tornado-warned thunderstorms on Wednesday based on radar. The danger with some of these storms is the potential tornadoes they may be wrapped in rain and extremely difficult to spot as they approach neighborhoods.
The NWS office of Tulsa, Oklahoma, found EF1 tornado damage in Pittsburgh county, including uprooted trees, a destroyed outbuilding and damage to a home.
"The survey will continue tomorrow as heavy rain this evening made it hard to survey the damage," said NWS Tulsa.
Severe conditions are not finished with the South Central states yet, AccuWeather forecasters warn.
This image, taken early Thursday morning, April 29, 2021, shows flood watches (darker greens), flash flood warnings (lighter green) and tornado watches (red) in effect over the south-central United States. (AccuWeather)
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has also issued a large area of marginal severe risk Thursday from Texas to Pennsylvania.
"Another threat will be flooding, as the thunderstorms may also contain very heavy rain," Adamson said. Any areas that have multiple thunderstorms will have an enhanced risk of flash flooding.
The flood threat will extend northeastward into Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio on Thursday, although there will only be a low threat of severe thunderstorms, according to Adamson.
Areas of Oklahoma racked up near 7 inches of rain during Tuesday and Wednesday's torrential rainfall event.
Several NWS offices, including Tulsa, have issued flood watches that run through Thursday morning. The office in Springfield, Missouri, has issued a flash flood watch through Thursday morning as well.
In some areas, the heavy rain can flood fields, damaging crops that have already been planted, or delaying planting in areas where farmers are still prepping fields, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda.
The heaviest rainfall of 4-6 inches is expected to fall at rates of 2 inches per hour at times
"Where downpours repeat in this corridor, the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 10 inches could be achieved," AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
Forecasters urge drivers to follow the saying "turn around, don't drown" when coming across flooded roadways.
Looking ahead, this stormy pattern is expected to continue through this weekend.
"The southern branch of rain and thunderstorms is expected to cut off from the main jet stream flow and move slowly through southeast Texas and along the Gulf coast states this weekend," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely to impact areas that have already received above-average amounts of rainfall during April, which can lead to flooding along the Gulf coast.
New Orleans has received over a foot of rainfall throughout April so far, which is 3 times the average amount of rain there. This is not uncommon across much of the central Gulf Coast.
Fortunately, not all areas of the South are rain-weary, as these thunderstorms could be "very beneficial across Texas where drought conditions are present," according to Pastelok.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Over 65% of Texas is currently considered to be in moderate drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor. These areas are primarily in the south and west, though major cities like Houston have also been lacking in rain this month.
Related:
The Space City has reported less than an inch of rainfall all April, which is about 21% of its normal amount this far into the month. El Paso, Texas, has had only 0.01 of an inch so far this April, a mere 5% of normal, as the month nears its close.
Though oftentimes severe storms can wreak havoc across the South, drought relief can be a silver lining for Texas this weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo