The storm that caused historic flooding, evacuations and rescues in the Southwest is now rolling into the central United States, with wet weather expected on Tuesday’s election day.
The situation on election day is less serious, but could still impact turnout in key elections in the central United States. Studies have found that active weather tends to suppress turnout, while sunshine has the opposite effect.
Rain is finally slowing down in the Southwest after storms dumped months’ worth of rain, caused waterway levees to burst and forced evacuations in at least a dozen counties in parts of Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.
Crews in Arizona continue to search for a missing man who fell into fast-moving floodwaters in Flagstaff and are conducting rescue efforts on rooftops around Sedona.
More than a dozen rivers, creeks, and washes in Arizona and southwestern Colorado are currently surging above major flood stage, with some reaching record highs. Flooding in some swollen waterways is likely to continue until at least Tuesday.
Record flooding is occurring along the Little Colorado River near Winslow, Arizona and the Gila River near Solomon, Arizona. Water levels in the Gila River are more than 2 feet above water level, which could flood several homes and businesses north of Solomon, Safford and Thatcher, Arizona, according to the National Weather Service.
In Colorado, evacuation orders have been issued along the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs, where the river has risen above major flood stage for the second time in about 10 days. Sunday evening’s crest was about 2 feet higher than the devastating flood of Oct. 23.
The storm is now rolling into the Plains and Midwest with high winds and pouring rain.
Severe thunderstorms are possible across the south-central Plains, including Dallas-Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, and Wichita, Kansas, Monday afternoon and evening. Damaging winds are the main threat, but some tornadoes are also possible.
The storm will lose some of its strength on Election Day, but the rain will affect voters from the Great Plains and Upper Midwest south through the Mississippi Valley to the western Gulf Coast. Key races in Iowa, Kansas, eastern Texas and northern Michigan are open to wet weather.
Isolated severe storms are possible from eastern Texas to the lower and middle Mississippi Valley. Although the risk of flooding from heavy rain is low, voters heading to polling places may encounter ponds on the roads.
Dry weather will punctuate the storm for much of the East Coast and the West. The only exceptions are showers in parts of Florida, northern New England, and northern California.
In most parts of the country, there will be little need to prepare to go to the polls. High temperatures are expected to be 5 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above average for most of the eastern half of the country. Some areas of the Southwest and Plains will experience slightly cooler than average temperatures.
Georgia: South Georgia will be mostly dry with the exception of a chance for isolated showers starting on the coast in the morning and spreading inland through the afternoon. Highs will reach the 70s to 80s.
Iowa: A chance of rain, with the heaviest amounts falling in the eastern part of the state Tuesday morning. More rain is possible in western and central Iowa this morning and afternoon. High temperatures will reach the 60s, but it could be even cooler in the northwest corner.
Kansas: Scattered showers and winds are possible during the morning and early afternoon, especially in northern Kansas. Wind gusts will range from 20 to 40 mph during the day. High temperatures will range from the 40s and 50s in the northwestern part of the state to the 60s in the east.
Maine: A chance of rain showers will be possible throughout the northern and western parts of the state in the morning, with a chance of rain increasing into the afternoon. High temperatures are expected to range from the 40s in the northern part of the state to the 60s in the southern part.
Michigan: The Upper Peninsula will have the highest chance of precipitation throughout the day. A few showers could also hit the upper reaches of northern Michigan. High temperatures will range from the 60s in the Upper Peninsula to the mid 70s in Lower Michigan.
New Hampshire: A shower or two is possible, especially in the northern part of the state by the afternoon. High temperatures will be in the 50s to 60s in the north and near 70s in the south.
North Carolina: Mostly dry, with highs in the 70s.
Ohio: 70’s high and mostly dry.
Texas: Rain is expected to move from west to east throughout the day in eastern and coastal Texas. Storms are most likely to form in Houston in the afternoon. A few severe thunderstorms are also possible. High temperatures will range from the 80s near the coast to the 60s in the state’s Panhandle and West Texas.
