Severe Weather and Flooding Threat Through Saturday

Park Hills, Mo. (KFMO) - The Parkland faces multiple weather threats through Saturday, with severe thunderstorms expected today and significant flooding concerns later this week.

The National Weather Service has placed much of the region under an Enhanced Risk for severe storms, while portions of southeast Missouri fall under a Moderate Risk. Storms developing this afternoon into the evening could bring damaging winds over 70 mph, large hail up to baseball size, and strong EF-2 or greater tornadoes, particularly in southeast Missouri and southwest Illinois. The best timeframe for severe storms is between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

A Wind Advisory is in effect from noon until 7 p.m., with sustained winds of 15-25 mph and gusts reaching 45 mph.

After today's storms, attention shifts to flooding concerns as a slow-moving cold front stalls south of the area. A Flood Watch is in effect from Thursday morning through early Sunday, with widespread rainfall of 3 to 7 inches or more expected, particularly along and south of the I-44 corridor in Missouri and I-70 in Illinois.

Persistent storms over the next several days could lead to flash flooding and river flooding, making travel hazardous. Residents should stay updated with the latest forecasts and have a plan in place for both severe weather and flooding.