A wave of moisture will move through the central and southern United States through Thursday. While the rain will be beneficial from a drought and wildfire perspective, too much rain can fall too quickly and cause flash flooding. AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
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The greatest risk for downpours that could cause very localized flooding is from Louisiana and the panhandles of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida to northwestern Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Within this zone, there will be areas where rain may fall briefly at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour, which may lead to street flooding and rapid increases in some small streams.
The steady west-easterly nature of the showers and thunderstorms through Thursday should significantly limit flooding concerns. However, as rain moves through areas hit hard by the disastrous flash floods from Helene in late September, it may briefly disrupt repair work.
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Outside of the risk of localized flooding, 0.50 to 1 inch of rain will fall from the central Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes region. The rain will have a positive effect on the low water levels along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Much more rain is needed to overcome the extent and severity of drought in major river basins.
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Low water levels are hampering towing and barge operations on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. This method of transporting grains and raw materials is generally cheap, but is made less efficient by unusually shallow and narrow shipping lanes.
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