Torrential rain and flash flooding are expected to hammer the already soaked South and Midwest this weekend, with communities struggling to recover from deadly tornadoes now bracing for another round of extreme weather.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that 45 rivers across several states are projected to reach “major flood stage,” potentially threatening homes, roads and critical infrastructure. As per news agency AP, new flash flood emergencies were issued Saturday in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Downtown Hopkinsville, Kentucky, briefly reopened after waters from the Little River receded, offering a short reprieve before more rain forecast for Saturday night. “We got a little rain but most of it went north of us,” Mayor James R Knight Jr told AP. “Thank goodness on that. Gave us a little break”, Knight added.
However, Christian County judge-executive Jerry Gilliam cautioned that another 3 to 4 inches of rainfall could rapidly flood the area again and was quoted by AP saying, “We anticipate this water coming back quickly if it comes down quickly.”
Flash flooding remains a major concern in rural parts of Kentucky where water can rush down from mountains into low-lying areas. In 2022, similar conditions led to dozens of deaths in the state’s eastern region.
On Friday, a 9-year-old boy in Kentucky was swept away by floodwaters and killed, governor Andy Beshear confirmed.
Meanwhile, residents across Tennessee, Missouri, and Indiana are still reeling from a devastating string of more than 30 tornadoes that tore through the region this week.
As per The New York Times, at least seven people have died and hundreds of homes and businesses were destroyed. In Tennessee’s Selmer, governor Bill Lee described entire neighbourhoods as being “completely wiped out” and said storm warnings likely saved lives as hundreds took shelter at a courthouse.
Missouri, too, has suffered severe damage. A fire chief was killed near Cape Girardeau, and in Poplar Bluff, the Army Corps of Engineers filled 1,500 sandbags to protect a levee from surging floodwaters.
In Indiana, governor Mike Braun activated the National Guard to assist emergency response .
Shipping routes through key logistics hubs like Louisville and Memphis may face disruptions, warned AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter. The threat to commerce adds another layer of urgency as rivers continue to swell.
Severe staffing shortages have also left the National Weather Service vulnerable. According to AP, nearly half of its forecast offices are operating with 20% fewer staff following Trump-era job cuts, double the vacancy rate from a decade ago. “The National Weather Service is a critical organisation that we desperately need, and need to be strong,” governor Beshear said.
As the system stalls, the NWS said some regions could receive over 12 inches of rainfall by Monday, raising fears of a “generational flooding” disaster. Still, NWS Nashville offered a sliver of hope: “The finish line is in sight!” it posted, predicting a slow easing of the storm after Sunday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that 45 rivers across several states are projected to reach “major flood stage,” potentially threatening homes, roads and critical infrastructure. As per news agency AP, new flash flood emergencies were issued Saturday in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Downtown Hopkinsville, Kentucky, briefly reopened after waters from the Little River receded, offering a short reprieve before more rain forecast for Saturday night. “We got a little rain but most of it went north of us,” Mayor James R Knight Jr told AP. “Thank goodness on that. Gave us a little break”, Knight added.
However, Christian County judge-executive Jerry Gilliam cautioned that another 3 to 4 inches of rainfall could rapidly flood the area again and was quoted by AP saying, “We anticipate this water coming back quickly if it comes down quickly.”
Flash flooding remains a major concern in rural parts of Kentucky where water can rush down from mountains into low-lying areas. In 2022, similar conditions led to dozens of deaths in the state’s eastern region.
On Friday, a 9-year-old boy in Kentucky was swept away by floodwaters and killed, governor Andy Beshear confirmed.
Meanwhile, residents across Tennessee, Missouri, and Indiana are still reeling from a devastating string of more than 30 tornadoes that tore through the region this week.
As per The New York Times, at least seven people have died and hundreds of homes and businesses were destroyed. In Tennessee’s Selmer, governor Bill Lee described entire neighbourhoods as being “completely wiped out” and said storm warnings likely saved lives as hundreds took shelter at a courthouse.
Missouri, too, has suffered severe damage. A fire chief was killed near Cape Girardeau, and in Poplar Bluff, the Army Corps of Engineers filled 1,500 sandbags to protect a levee from surging floodwaters.
In Indiana, governor Mike Braun activated the National Guard to assist emergency response .
Shipping routes through key logistics hubs like Louisville and Memphis may face disruptions, warned AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter. The threat to commerce adds another layer of urgency as rivers continue to swell.
Severe staffing shortages have also left the National Weather Service vulnerable. According to AP, nearly half of its forecast offices are operating with 20% fewer staff following Trump-era job cuts, double the vacancy rate from a decade ago. “The National Weather Service is a critical organisation that we desperately need, and need to be strong,” governor Beshear said.
As the system stalls, the NWS said some regions could receive over 12 inches of rainfall by Monday, raising fears of a “generational flooding” disaster. Still, NWS Nashville offered a sliver of hope: “The finish line is in sight!” it posted, predicting a slow easing of the storm after Sunday.
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