Extreme weather conditions that can cause floods, hail and dangerous winds: NPR

A new series of strong storms is causing more and more floods in several states, with parts of the Great South likely to receive the most severe weather conditions by the end of the week that will affect about 40 million people. Americans.

The National Weather Service warned residents of southeastern Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi to prepare for a barrage of several days of heavy rain and flash floods.

The agency on Thursday launched a flood watch in large parts of southeastern Texas and Louisiana, which will last until Saturday night. Rainfall in the range of 4 to 8 inches is expected in the area, the NWS said.

Tuesday, unexpected rainstorms "submerged streets and submerged houses" in parts of Houston, the Houston Chronicle reported. The unexpected torrential rains also flooded schools and businesses, blocking motorists and schoolchildren for hours.

In all, 10 inches of rain fell in some areas, resulting in several rescues in high water by the responders in case of emergency. The Red Cross has set up a shelter in a church north-east of downtown Houston.

While the dry weather on Wednesday offered a respite in some areas, the soil is still saturated. A new major storm system will result in a rapid fall in precipitation and an increase in floods.

The NWS said the moving storm could also cause damaging winds, large hail and brief tornadoes.

The Houston public media could give rise to "potential peaks on several regional rivers such as Brazos, San Jacinto, San Bernardo and Trinidad, and bayous will also need to be monitored."

A flood in Austin Wednesday caused at least one death after a man suspected of being in his fifties was swept away by the floodwater, the American Statesman reported.

An NWS team is examining the damage of a powerful storm that rocked Arkansas Wednesday night, KUAR reporter Michael Hibblen told NPR.

"Pine Bluff police said four people were injured, including one seriously, as a result of a violent storm that ripped the roof of an apartment building," Hibblen said. , stating that around 150 people had been displaced.

After four violent windstorms in the region Wednesday, Accuweather announced that the tornado risk was lower on Thursday. However, "there will always be a risk of some isolated tornadoes on the earth every day, as well as the possibility of some trenches near the Gulf Coast".

Along the Mississippi Valley, which has already lasted more than a month at unsafe levels, more than 30 river gauges report significant flooding, said Paula Cognitore, Hydrologist, Coordinator of Environmental Services. National Water Center.

"The rains that flooded Missouri and Kansas earlier this week will spill over to the Missouri River, which connects to the main Mississippi just north of St. Louis," which will prolong flooding, said Cognitore .

In addition to Missouri, Kansas and Texas, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi have suffered major floods since March, when snowmelt has started to penetrate the water courses.

She added that the additional runoff slowed the withdrawal of the river.

"The good news is that this part of the country – the Great Plains and the Upper Mississippi – is expected to pause after heavy rains this week or two," added Cognitore.

According to Rebecca Hersher of NPR, floods, caused by climate change, are becoming more frequent and serious.

"In parts of the Midwest and East Coast, extreme rains have already increased by more than 50% since the early 1900s," said Hersher.

She explained that the warming of the sea was part of the problem and that the high temperatures recorded in the Gulf of Mexico were acting as an engine to make the hurricanes bigger and wetter. The resulting precipitation flows into rivers that have not been developed to withstand current weather conditions.

"In all, tens of billions of dollars in river trade and farmland are in danger, and more than $ 100 billion in real estate is threatened by rising seas," Hersher said.

Generalized showers are expected in the Great Lakes region, the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, as well as in the lower Mississippi valley and southern plains, NWS warned.

Meanwhile, a full blizzard is expected in northeastern Minnesota and neighboring northwestern Wisconsin.