Dangerous severe storm outbreak to continue over south-central US

After days of deadly severe thunderstorms brought widespread damage across the southeastern and central United States, the threat for flooding and violent thunderstorms will continue across the south-central part of the nation into Monday evening.

There were over 225 preliminary reports of wind damage and 30 reports of hail across the nation from Saturday’s destructive storms and over 230 preliminary reports of wind damage on Sunday.

Flooding rain and severe weather spread from eastern Kansas, Oklahoma and northern Arkansas to Missouri on Sunday morning, leading to rapid rises on creeks and smaller rivers across the region.

One woman was found dead amid flooding in eastern Oklahoma before dawn. A flash flood emergency was declared for southern Newton and northern McDonald counties in southwestern Missouri later in the morning.

The larger Missouri and Arkansas rivers will also continue to rise this week as runoff from the heavy rain drains downstream.

"Heavy rain from late last week and this weekend will also halt the recession of the Mississippi River along the border of Missouri and Illinois," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski. "The river at St. Louis is expected to climb back to near major flood stage of 40 feet later this week."

The flooding rain across Missouri and neighboring parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas tapered off Sunday evening, but the threat for severe weather will continue to shift to the south and east on Monday.

A line of thunderstorms swept southward through eastern Texas, southern Arkansas and Louisiana Sunday night. Most of these storms will pushed off the western Gulf Coast during Monday morning.

Because the energy supporting the storm system will be lifting northward into the northern tier of the United States into Monday night, the threat for widespread severe weather will be less in these areas than what it was farther north on Sunday.

The main threats from the isolated severe weather into Monday night will be isolated incidents of damage to trees, power lines and roofs on account of strong wind gusts and areas of flash flooding.

Since the storms are forecast to move more slowly than those on Sunday, the risk for flash flooding may be nearly as great as it was on Sunday.

The threat for these locally severe thunderstorms will focus on central and southern Texas into Monday night.

A broad area of disturbed weather consolidating into a more organized storm system that will ultimately track into the Great Lakes region is the culprit behind the ongoing, unsettled conditions.

For motorists, rapid reductions in roadway visibility and blinding downpours could cause major delays and make driving difficult and even dangerous.

Be sure to slow down in heavy downpours or on wet roadways to reduce the risk of hydroplaning when traveling at highway speeds, and never drive through water-covered roadways.

It is impossible to determine the depth of water on a roadway using only one’s eyesight, and it only takes about 2 feet of water to carry away most vehicles.

“Remember to move indoors at the first rumble of thunder since it is at this time that you are at risk for being struck by lightning,” according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski added.

Cities such as San Antonio and Houston, could be targeted with at least a few hours of wet weather into Monday night.

"There can be more than one round of heavy and severe thunderstorms impacting the South Central states on Monday," Pydynowski said.

Another, more organized area of severe weather will erupt across the Tennessee and Ohio River valleys, as well as the central Appalachians, on Monday as the storm system moves into the western Great Lakes region.

Outdoor sporting events, such as Major League Baseball games, could be delayed or even canceled as the storms roll through the region.

“The threat to lives and property from severe thunderstorms will shift focus from the central and southern Plains to the northern tier of the nation's midsection in the wake of this storm,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.

A northward push in the jet stream will be responsible for bringing about this change in the weather pattern during the middle and latter part of this week, giving the south-central U.S. a much-needed reprieve from the onslaught of relentless thunderstorms.

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