Major flooding hits Texas
Texas has been dealing with some major flooding over the past several days, with eastern parts of the state seeing exceptionally heavy rainfall. The Weather Prediction Center issued both High and Moderate Risks for excessive rainfall as Tropical Storm Edouard moved inland, highlighting the potential for significant flash flooding.
While the worst of the rainfall has passed for most areas, there come be some new storm development farther west. The most impressive rainfall totals so far have been northwest of Beaumont, where nearly 2 feet of rain has been recorded.
Though we may be about done with this particular flood threat, the concern isn't going away entirely. Another potential flood threat is already taking shape farther west, with heavy rainfall expected to become a concern across the Desert Southwest.
Flooding threat shifts west
Our attention has to turn to the Desert Southwest as the Weather Prediction Center has already introduced a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall across portions of southern and central Utah on Day 4 (Sunday, September 6, 2026).
A plume of tropical moisture is expected to spread northeastward from Southern California into the Southwest and Great Basin, helping fuel widespread thunderstorms. Some of these storms could produce locally heavy rainfall, with the latest guidance increasingly pointing toward heavier totals across southwestern and central Utah.
The terrain in this part of the country is vulnerable to rapid runoff, which is a major reason the Slight Risk was added. If the current model trends continue, the risk area could expand in future updates.
It is unfortunate that another flood threat is developing so soon after we just got past another one in this region. On the bright side, however, the additional rainfall will help provide some much-needed relief from the drought affecting these areas.
Severe weather continues across the East
Severe weather will remain a concern across parts of the East on Friday, with the Storm Prediction Center placing a Slight Risk of severe thunderstorms from the Upper Ohio Valley into the southern Mid-Atlantic. Widely scattered severe storms are expected, with damaging wind gusts being the primary concern. A few storms could also produce large hail, particularly across portions of the Midwest.
Thunderstorms may already be ongoing Friday morning across parts of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. Some of these storms could continue into the afternoon, while additional storms develop along a frontal boundary farther south and east. As temperatures rise and moisture increases across the Mid-Atlantic, the atmosphere should become moderately unstable, with enough wind shear to support some organized storms.
The threat will continue into Saturday, with another round of storms moving from the Ohio Valley toward the southern Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas. The SPC has placed these areas under another Slight Risk, with damaging wind gusts again expected to be the primary concern. Large hail cannot be ruled out either, especially with the more organized storms.
There will also be a more conditional threat across the Northern Plains on Saturday. Strong instability and sufficient wind shear could support a few severe storms, with large hail and damaging winds being the main hazards. Exactly how this plays out remains uncertain, however, given the influence of the nearby ridge and questions surrounding storm development.
Hurricane Lowell could threaten Hawaii
Shifting very far west into the Pacific Ocean, Category 4 Hurricane Lowell is something to watch. Current forecasts suggest the hurricane will likely take a sharp northward turn over the next couple of days and could approach the western side of Hawaii, with Niihau currently having the greatest potential for a glancing blow.
There is still plenty of time for the forecast to change, however. Hurricane tracks can shift considerably several days out, so this is not something to take as a set-in-stone forecast. Don't get me wrong, though. Anyone in Hawaii, particularly in the western part of the state, should most definitely keep an eye on this storm.
Interestingly, the current projected track bears some similarities to Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which initially passed south of Hawaii before making a similar sharp turn northward. That does not mean Lowell will take the same track. In fact, current forecasts have it passing considerably farther west than Iniki did.
A little relief from the heat
Now, to wrap things up, let's talk about the heat. The central U.S. heat dome will likely remain in place for the foreseeable future, but there are some signs that it could begin to weaken slightly. That does not mean the heat is going away, though. Temperatures across the central U.S. will likely remain rather warm for the next several days.
Conditions could become a bit more comfortable beginning early next week, with some areas that have been dealing with triple-digit temperatures finally dropping back into the mid-90s. That's still plenty warm, but it would be a noticeable improvement from the extreme heat we've been dealing with.