A major storm system is developing in the nation’s heartland bringing some rough weather across the central U.S. including the potential for flooding on Saturday.
Flood watches were posted on Saturday morning from northern Texas to western Pennsylvania including many big cities like Dallas, Little Rock, Nashville, Louisville and Pittsburgh.
Behind the storm system comes cooler air and wintry weather resulting in a number of winter storm warnings and advisories being posted.
Meteorologists are saying this could be the most widespread severe weather event in more than three month
Scattered severe thunderstorms are expected from northern and eastern Texas into southeastern Oklahoma, northwestern Louisiana, Arkansas, southern Missouri, northern Mississippi, western Tennessee, western Kentucky and far southwestern Indiana
The colder side of the storm may bring snow and ice as the storm reaches Minnesota and other areas of the northern Midwest
The cold weather spreads further northwards on Sunday and the wet weather heads eastward
The St. Joseph River record high water crests in Berrien Springs, Michiga., flooding Shamrock Park, year-round camp ground – and more bad weather is on the way
The storm will develop on Saturday morning but the worst of it is expected by midday and evening.
There will be heavy rain and dangerous thunderstorms in the Mississippi River Valley from Little Rock to Memphis, as well as along parts of the Midwest from Paducah, Kentucky to Cincinnati.
At the northern edge of the storm, snow will develop and intensify as it heads towards Minnesota.
There will be low visibility and the snow will be likely be an issue throughout Saturday evening.
The flooding has already claimed at least three lives this week. A one-year-old girl was found dead in her family’s flooded Michigan yard after reportedly wandering from the home on Wednesday, according to the AP.
Another death was reported Wednesday when 53-year-old Victor French’s vehicle was swept off the road as he attempted to drive across a flooded bridge near Stilwell, Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol announced.
Ketara Sealey, 17, takes a photo of the school bus’ tire in Flint, Michigan. The bus became stuck when its tire fell into a hole due to high flood waters. High water closed roads in Michigan
A colorful map usually means strong and turbulent weather which is certainly the case here
Thousands of residents from Texas to Michigan have endured days of heavy rainfall that caused rivers to overflow their banks. Pictured, the St. Joseph River in Niles, Michigan
By Saturday night or Sunday morning, the storm will slide eastward with very heavy rain and thunderstorms from Louisiana all the way to Pennsylvania.
There will also be a wintry mix with and some snow will be likely for parts of New England including Hartford, Connecticut and Albany, New York.
More than four inches of rainfall is expected through Sunday in the region.
There has already been a lot rain so far this week with nearly 10.5 inches having already fallen in parts of Arkansas this week.
It means that any further rainfall is likely to cause flash flooding.
A man sitting on a paddle board paddles up a flooded Grand River past the Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids, Michicgan. City officials later officially closed the river to all recreational users including anglers, boaters, kayakers and canoers
The severe weather stretches more than a thousand miles across the nation’s interior
Flood watches have been issued from northern Texas to western Pennsylvania for Saturday morning, including Dallas, Little Rock, Nashville, Louisville and Pittsburgh
Robert Forler tosses a bucket out water off his front porch as he tries to clear standing water from his home in South Bend, Indiana
Many rivers in northern Indiana and Southern Michigan are still running high on Saturday morning. Some rivers still have a few days before they will begin to recede, and some have time before they crest.
In parts of Louisville and Cincinnati, the rising Ohio river is expected to be the highest it has been in 20 years, but it is not expected to cause too much damage – of course all that could change depending on how much rail falls.
The heavy rain will skip northern Indiana, Michigan and northern Illinois.
Strong severe storms will also develop across the South and Midwest today with intense storms developing by mid-day and into Saturday night.
Garry Clark, 15, uses a canoe to take his grandmother Jeanne Kendall and June Wedl from their home flooded by the Kalamazoo River in Michigan
Flooding that prompted evacuations in parts of the Midwest persisted Friday in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio and was expected to last through the weekend in areas that have been swamped by high water from heavy rains and melting snow
Lance Lawson carries his dog Kawi, a nine-year-old pitbull, away from his flooded home in South Bend, Indiana
There is also a risk of tornadoes in parts of Louisiana up through Kentucky. Damaging winds and large hail will also be possible.
The severe weather threat is expected to lessen by the time Sunday rolls around.
Some snow and ice could also make its way towards New England on Sunday.
Accumulations will be light, but could catch some people off guard considering how warm the Northeast was all week with temperatures hitting the mid-70s.
More heavy rain is on the way and widespread flooding is expected on the Ohio River next week.