Flooding downpours to keep pounding central US
By
Renee Duff, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Jun 28, 2021 8:45 AM EST
Wind gusts of more than 60 mph were measured as severe storms brought torrential rain and hail to eastern Kansas, forcing many vehicles to a stop amid reduced visibility.
It's been a rinse and repeat pattern across the nation's midsection with daily rounds of flooding downpours and severe thunderstorms over the past week, and AccuWeather meteorologists say the forecast will remain largely unchanged over the coming days, with few opportunities for the region to dry out and floodwaters to recede.
Flooding reports have streamed in from Kansas to Michigan as over a month's worth of rain has poured down in some areas over the past few days. The deluge has led to rising water levels on many rivers and streams, as well as floodwaters encroaching on homes and businesses.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in the state on Saturday in response to the excessive flooding. The declaration of a state of emergency will allow for state resources to be used to tackle the issues created by flooding.
On Friday alone, 5.87 inches of rain fell in Chanute, Kansas, located in the southeastern portion of the state, shattering the daily record of 1.35 inches from 1903.
In Missouri, Wakenda Creek at Carrollton reached major flood stage on Saturday morning, cresting at 22.21 feet and breaking the record crest of 20.95 feet set on Aug. 2, 2016. Just a day prior, significant flooding with up to 10 inches of rain was reported north of Saint Joseph and Mound City, Missouri.
The flooding downpours were accompanied by severe weather at the beginning of the weekend, with Chicago included in a tornado warning at one point Saturday afternoon. No tornado were confirmed, but wind damage was reported in southeastern suburbs of the city. Several tornado were reported in Michigan.
The repeated downpours have been a result of a frontal boundary that has stalled over the region. This boundary essentially serves as the train tracks for showers and thunderstorms to move along, and these train tracks won't be moving anytime soon, according to forecasters.
This stalled front will remain the focus for numerous showers and thunderstorms into midweek, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist David Samuhel.
Areas from the Texas Panhandle through Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan are likely to be in the zone at greatest risk for heavy rainfall and new or worsening flooding problems going forward into midweek.
"The risk for flooding will be high in areas where the ground is already saturated," AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson said.
Even areas that have been spared from the most significant rainfall in recent days could experience growing flooding concerns as the rain comes down at a fast pace.
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Rain can pour down at a rate of 1-2 inches per hour, according to AccuWeather's team of storm warning meteorologists in Wichita, Kansas.
Travel delays, road and rail washouts, river flooding and localized damage to businesses and homes are all possible in the continued soggy pattern.
Experts urge motorists to avoid driving through floodwaters and to use extra care at night when high water is very difficult to see.
The rainy days can lead to disruptions for farmers looking to tend to their crops, as well as make it more difficult for construction and landscape projects to be completed on time.
While AccuWeather meteorologists say that the main threat across the Central states going forward will be new or worsening flooding, there will remain the risk for locally severe thunderstorms to rumble each day into Wednesday. Damaging winds are likely to be the most common hazard, besides flooding.
It may take until the first days of July for drier air to slowly press southward and lead to diminishing downpours. Even still, a completely dry forecast for the July Fourth holiday weekend cannot be predicted quite yet across the nation's midsection.
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
Flooding downpours to keep pounding central US
By Renee Duff, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Jun 28, 2021 8:45 AM EST
Wind gusts of more than 60 mph were measured as severe storms brought torrential rain and hail to eastern Kansas, forcing many vehicles to a stop amid reduced visibility.
It's been a rinse and repeat pattern across the nation's midsection with daily rounds of flooding downpours and severe thunderstorms over the past week, and AccuWeather meteorologists say the forecast will remain largely unchanged over the coming days, with few opportunities for the region to dry out and floodwaters to recede.
Flooding reports have streamed in from Kansas to Michigan as over a month's worth of rain has poured down in some areas over the past few days. The deluge has led to rising water levels on many rivers and streams, as well as floodwaters encroaching on homes and businesses.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in the state on Saturday in response to the excessive flooding. The declaration of a state of emergency will allow for state resources to be used to tackle the issues created by flooding.
On Friday alone, 5.87 inches of rain fell in Chanute, Kansas, located in the southeastern portion of the state, shattering the daily record of 1.35 inches from 1903.
In Missouri, Wakenda Creek at Carrollton reached major flood stage on Saturday morning, cresting at 22.21 feet and breaking the record crest of 20.95 feet set on Aug. 2, 2016. Just a day prior, significant flooding with up to 10 inches of rain was reported north of Saint Joseph and Mound City, Missouri.
The flooding downpours were accompanied by severe weather at the beginning of the weekend, with Chicago included in a tornado warning at one point Saturday afternoon. No tornado were confirmed, but wind damage was reported in southeastern suburbs of the city. Several tornado were reported in Michigan.
The repeated downpours have been a result of a frontal boundary that has stalled over the region. This boundary essentially serves as the train tracks for showers and thunderstorms to move along, and these train tracks won't be moving anytime soon, according to forecasters.
This stalled front will remain the focus for numerous showers and thunderstorms into midweek, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist David Samuhel.
Areas from the Texas Panhandle through Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan are likely to be in the zone at greatest risk for heavy rainfall and new or worsening flooding problems going forward into midweek.
"The risk for flooding will be high in areas where the ground is already saturated," AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson said.
Even areas that have been spared from the most significant rainfall in recent days could experience growing flooding concerns as the rain comes down at a fast pace.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Rain can pour down at a rate of 1-2 inches per hour, according to AccuWeather's team of storm warning meteorologists in Wichita, Kansas.
Travel delays, road and rail washouts, river flooding and localized damage to businesses and homes are all possible in the continued soggy pattern.
Experts urge motorists to avoid driving through floodwaters and to use extra care at night when high water is very difficult to see.
The rainy days can lead to disruptions for farmers looking to tend to their crops, as well as make it more difficult for construction and landscape projects to be completed on time.
While AccuWeather meteorologists say that the main threat across the Central states going forward will be new or worsening flooding, there will remain the risk for locally severe thunderstorms to rumble each day into Wednesday. Damaging winds are likely to be the most common hazard, besides flooding.
It may take until the first days of July for drier air to slowly press southward and lead to diminishing downpours. Even still, a completely dry forecast for the July Fourth holiday weekend cannot be predicted quite yet across the nation's midsection.
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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