Heavy rain, flash flooding to sweep Midwest and Northeast into early next week
Localized flash flooding and travel disruptions may develop from the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley to the Northeast as rounds of rain shift east through early next week.
Fast-moving floodwaters are shutting down roads in the Ozarks of southern Missouri, as extreme meteorologist Dr. Reed Timmer shows.
As a storm moves east across portions of the Midwest and Ohio Valley this weekend, drenching rain is expected to fall across much of the eastern third of the United States. A few severe thunderstorms are also expected farther south.
Here's a timeline of expected rainfall and the regions at risk for flooding.
Flooding downpours spread across Midwest into Saturday night
Periods of moderate to heavy rain are expected to continue across parts of the Midwest through much of Saturday evening before drier weather returns late Saturday night into Sunday morning.
General rainfall amounts of 1-4 inches are expected across the southern portions of the Great Lakes. Localized flash flooding is possible, especially in urban, low-lying and poor-drainage areas. Reduced visibility and ponding on roadways may lead to travel disruptions over the weekend.
Heavy rain and lightning could impact the annual outdoor Lollapalooza Music Festival in Chicago through Saturday evening, so an umbrella will come in handy for festival-goers.
"Showers and thunderstorms will remain a threat Saturday afternoon. As the later acts take the stage by the evening and nighttime hours, conditions should begin to improve," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
Much of Sunday is expected to be dry in Chicago, although a few early morning showers may linger.
Rain shifts east on Sunday
The storm system will creep east during the second half of the weekend, bringing periods of heavy rain to parts of the Ohio Valley and Southeast before reaching much of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast early next week.
"[Due to] slow-moving downpours, rainfall rates that could exceed 1 inch per hour, and already saturated ground in some locations will combine to heighten the risk of flash flooding, localized road closures and rapid rises on small streams and creeks," Duff said.
On Sunday, the heaviest rain is expected across western portions of the Northeast, including Erie, Pennsylvania, and Buffalo, New York. Frequent downpours and lightning may impact outdoor activities and travel, especially along the Interstate 90 corridor.
Heading into early next week, the main area of concern shifts closer to the Northeast coast, including New York City and Boston.
"Around Albany, New York, where 8-12 inches of rain fell earlier this week, it would only take 1 inch of rain in an hour or 2 inches in three hours to trigger renewed flash flooding," Duff said.
A widespread 1-2 inches of rain is forecast from Sunday afternoon to Monday night, with heavier pockets of rain expected in southeastern Canada and along or near the Interstate 95 corridor of the Northeast. The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ is 12 inches.
"With some of this rain falling over a short amount of time in heavy thunderstorms, there can be quick flooding of low-lying and poor drainage areas, as well as streets and highways and creeks and streams," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said.
Most of the heavy rain is expected to move offshore by Tuesday morning. However, a few showers may linger into the afternoon, especially farther south across parts of the mid-Atlantic.
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