Extensive heavy rainfall is expected across the eastern and southern United States towards the end of the week, posing a risk of scattered flash flooding and thunderstorms. A flood watch from the National Weather Service was in effect for nearly 4 million people in the Northeast, covering areas in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut on May 8. Flood warnings and advisories were also issued for streams and rivers in states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas due to heavy rains in April and early May.
Showers and thunderstorms are forecasted to occur from New England through the Ohio Valley and extending southeastward along the Gulf Coast and into Texas. The weather service noted that Texas has been experiencing severe storms and flooding due to repeated rounds of severe weather.
In the Southeast, thunderstorms with strong wind gusts and hail over 2 inches in diameter are expected in parts of the Appalachians, Tennessee Valley, and Southeast regions. A cluster of organized thunderstorms is predicted to form over areas of Kentucky, Tennessee, and the southern Appalachians before moving into Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Isolated thunderstorms may also develop in northern Florida, while large hail and damaging wind gusts are forecasted across much of Texas.
For those in the Northeast dealing with days of rain and flood threats, relief is expected by Mother’s Day as a storm system moves through New England and into Canada. However, the southern United States should remain prepared for continued rain and flood risks in the following days.
The slow-moving rain system that brought heavy rainfall to the central and southern parts of the country is set to impact the Gulf Coast states, including northern Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and parts of the Carolinas over the next four to five days.
The national forecast for Thursday, May 8, 2025, indicates the likelihood of widespread rain and thunderstorms across a large portion of the United States.
