A powerful storm system is bringing severe thunderstorms, heavy rain and flooding threats to parts of the United States just hours before voters head to the polls in Tuesday’s midterm elections. The timing puts potentially disruptive weather over parts of the central U.S. as Americans decide control of Congress and hundreds of state and local races. Voters from the Plains into the Mississippi Valley face the greatest threat from storms and heavy rain, while flooding remains a concern in Florida and New Mexico.
National Weather Service alerts on Monday included severe thunderstorm warnings in Texas and Oklahoma, tornado watches covering counties in Kansas and Oklahoma, and flood warnings affecting Florida and New Mexico. The alerts are localized and do not mean that every resident or polling location in those states is under a warning. The broader Election Day forecast puts additional areas at risk.
The Storm Prediction Center expects thunderstorms Tuesday from the Sabine and lower Mississippi valleys north into the Mid-Mississippi Valley, with some storms capable of damaging winds and a couple of tornadoes. Heavy rain poses a separate threat. Forecasters expect areas of the Plains and Midwest to receive substantial rainfall, with flash flooding possible where storms repeatedly pass over the same locations.
Parts of Florida, meanwhile, entered the eve of Election Day already dealing with flooding after torrential rainfall along the state’s east-central coast. In Florida, the National Weather Service said flooding was already occurring Monday in parts of Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties after 6 to 12 inches of rain, with another 2 to 4 inches possible in the warned area.
In New Mexico, a flood warning for part of Rio Arriba County was extended until 6 a.m. MST Tuesday, with authorities reporting road closures around Chama because of flooding. The Election Day threat then shifts farther east.
The Storm Prediction Center expects parts of the lower and middle Mississippi Valley to face thunderstorms Tuesday, including the possibility of damaging gusts and isolated tornadoes. Heavy rainfall could also produce localized flash flooding, particularly where storms repeatedly move across the same areas. Conditions are expected to be considerably quieter elsewhere.
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