Experts: 10% chance storm system could develop into tropical cyclone
Forecasters are expecting thunderstorms to move from the Carolinas, across Florida, and into the Gulf of America (formerly the Gulf of Mexico), where it'll affect Alabama , Mississippi , Louisiana , and Texas. AccuWeather has forecasted several inches of rain across the northern Gulf Coast, with parts of the Interstate 10 corridor in Jacksonville, Florida, at risk of receiving more than six inches of rainfall in just a few hours over the weekend.
The alert comes just a few weeks after catastrophic flash flooding tore through the Texas Hill Country, killing at least 135 people, including dozens of children at a summer camp. Hundreds of other floods across the country have led AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter to predict that 2025 may go down at the "worst flash flood year in modern US history." 'We've already seen a 70 percent jump in flash flood reports compared to the 10-year average, and we're only in July,' Porter revealed.
So far this year, flash floods have killed at least 184 people across the US, with major storms hitting Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico, Illinois, and multiple state in the Northeast. In last weekend alone, nearly 200 flash floods were reported as storms swept from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic. At least one person died after a creek in Overland Park, Kansas, rapidly overflowed and swept through a running trail. Additional floods struck North Carolina, where six died during a 'one-in-1,000-year' rainfall event in Chapel Hill.
The downpour caused the city's second-heaviest hourly rainfall on record, sending water surging into subways, closing streets, and overwhelming the city's drainage system. At least two people were killed in New Jersey after their car was swept away by floodwaters. Officials have reported more than 4,800 flash flood in 2025, and experts warn the worst may be yet to come. This week's storm could follow a similar path, according to AccuWeather's team monitoring tropical storms, who said t hese floods are not just random events anymore.
'Storms are being intensified by a warmer atmosphere and more moisture in the air. And we're seeing the toll, city by city,' Porter emphasized. Officials are now urging Americans in flood-prone areas to stay alert. Showers and storms are expected to intensify into the weekend with, increasing the chances of flash flooding, especially in urban and low-lying areas throughout the Gulf States.
The conditions are being driven by a rare mix of extreme heat, trapped tropical moisture from a stronger-than-usual Bermuda High, and storm systems sweeping down from Canada. Brett Anderson, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said this storm system pattern is hitting more land than usual. 'We're seeing extreme rainfall across the entire US, not just the usual trouble spots,' he added.
One major factor is the amount of water vapor in the air. In a 30 year of analysis, AccuWeather scientists found that atmospheric moisture has steadily increased every summer. That means storms now carry more water, and when they strike, they unleash more of it in less time. Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather's senior forecasting director, explained that in regions like Texas and New Mexico, drought has hardened the soil to the point where it behaves like concrete.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Maui firefighters battle blaze near area of devastating Lahaina wildfires two years ago
Nearly two years to the day since devastating wildfires that killed more than 100 people and left thousands homeless the Hawaiian island of Maui is fighting another blaze in roughly the same location. The Maui Emergency Management Agency said on Monday that firefighters were "slowly containing" a brush fire in the hills above Ka'anapali, about two miles north of the deadly 2023 Lahaina wildfire. The Honoapiilani Highway was closed for about two and a half hours on Monday afternoon while helicopters drew water from the ocean to dump on the fire, officials said. "This is an emergency evacuation order. Leave immediately," the agency told Ka'anapali residents at around 1.48 p.m. local time. "Do not delay. Evacuate now and drive away from fire. Smoke and debris may be hazardous." In under an hour the evacuation order was lifted after firefighters succeeded in stopping the blaze from spreading any further. The wildfire that broke out in the same area on August 8, 2023, was the country's fifth deadliest such event on record, tearing through and almost destroying the historical town of Lahaina. After five months, more than 6,000 people on the island were without permanent long-term shelter with the American Red Cross housing displaced residents in empty rooms in hotels and condos. The tragedy , while a later investigative report . But now officials say things have changed. 'We're all more aware,' Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen told Maui Now last week. "I think we're more on guard. I think we probably all do a better job of taking care of each other, helping each other." The Maui Fire Department's total budget has grown from $60 million to $70m, with another $190m for housing assistance, recovery, repairs, and disaster mitigation. More firefighters and support staff have been hired, as well as more inspectors to check on potential fire hazards. New job roles have also been created to help relieve some of the demand on fire battalion commanders. More emergency vehicles have been ordered, and existing ones have been upgraded with thermal imaging devices. There are also more weather stations and cameras, and a new electricity plan that calls for power lines to be shut down when the risk of fire is particularly high.
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- The Guardian
Strong winds cause power cuts and travel disruption as Storm Floris batters the UK
Gusts of more than 100mph have brought travel disruption, power cuts and the widespread cancellation of events across large parts of the UK. Central and northern Scotland were most affected on Monday, amid the kind of problems normally seen on a stormy winter's day. Met Office data showed a gust of 134mph was recorded at the summit of Cairn Gorm in the Highlands, 1,245 metres above sea level. The strongest gust away from mountains was 80mph at South Uist
The Independent
13 hours ago
- The Independent
Grand Canyon ‘megafire' timelapse shows rare fire cloud forming
A time-lapse video shows a fire cloud rolling over the Grand Canyon as a 'megafire' continues to rage on across northern Arizona. Footage taken on Thursday (31 July) shows a pyrocumulus cloud, which forms when air over a fire becomes superheated and rises in large, smoky columns, moving over the national park. The rare weather phenomenon can also spread smoke into neighbouring areas, which officials warn can pose a danger if breathed in. The Dragon Bravo fire, which first ignited on 4 July, has become the largest wildfire in the continental US this year, consuming at least 111,000 acres and destroying the historic lodge at the national park. It was upgraded to 'megafire' status after it crossed the 100,000-acre threshold.
