Severe Storms Threaten Flooding for Over 88 Million Across Midwest and Plains

The National Weather Service said heavy rain from a series of severe storms could affect as many as 88 million people in the central United States this week. Flood watches currently cover roughly 20 million residents in Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, northern Alabama and Georgia, with the risk extending to the Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio River valleys.

The agency warned that locally heavy rainfall may lead to flooding, especially in areas that have already received substantial precipitation in recent days. Forecasts indicate up to eight inches of rain in some locations, with the potential for very large hail, strong wind gusts and isolated tornadoes across the central Plains.

Cities identified as facing the greatest storm hazards include Denver, Wichita, Kansas City and St. Louis, while the southwestern corner of Missouri and the northwestern corner of Arkansas are considered at particularly high risk for flooding. Excessive rain in Tennessee and Alabama could produce "considerable and life-threatening flooding" through Monday evening after up to nine inches fell on Sunday.

Recent incidents include a flash-flood emergency near Huntsville, Alabama, where vehicles were partially submerged, and water rescues in Milam County, Texas, after torrential downpours caused cars to slide off roads. In Slidell, Louisiana, up to six inches of rain fell within 12 hours, prompting flash flooding.

In the Northeast, strong winds in New York City knocked down more than 250 trees, and an 85-year-old man was killed by a falling tree in Queens. Wind gusts of 64 mph were reported in Brooklyn, where furniture was displaced from a rooftop pool deck. The storms also produced damage in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, including a tent being blown across a lawn during a college basketball game.