NEW YORK — Following wet weather at the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, parts of the Plains and the South are expected to be hit with powerful thunderstorms beginning on Sunday, potentially bringing large hail and strong wind gusts.
A storm system in the West is slowly making its way to the center of the country with dangerous weather impacts possible across several states to start the week.
The severe thunderstorm threat, which will begin late Sunday across parts of New Mexico and west Texas, will persist into Monday and Tuesday as it shifts east.
These areas could be faced with flash flooding and frequent lightning due to stronger, slow-moving thunderstorms with torrential rain.
Flood watches are now in place for parts of northern New Mexico and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma.
The storm system has also brought strong winds to the Southwest, with air quality alerts in effect through Sunday evening from Palm Springs, California, to Phoenix.
These powerful winds will bring an elevated fire danger to parts of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and the northern Plains on Sunday afternoon, with red flag warnings in effect.
On Tuesday, the system will continue to hit the Central U.S., bringing another round of thunderstorms and heavy rain to portions of the Plains and the South.
The greatest risk for flash flooding will be focused over portions of east Texas, southern Arkansas, northern Louisiana and western Mississippi.
Other areas like Oklahoma City, Dallas, Houston and Little Rock, Arkansas, are under an elevated risk for flash flooding. Some have already seen significant rainfall over the past week, making the ground very saturated and allowing for flash flooding to develop when heavy rain falls.
Along with storms in the Plains and the South, rainfall is also possible across the Northeast in the coming days, with locally heavy downpours and isolated flash flooding possible, especially in urban, poor-drainage areas.
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