Flash flood threat targets parts of the Midwest as heavy rain hits area

Parts of the Midwest are bracing for potentially significant flash flooding Saturday from rounds of heavy rain forecast to hit throughout the day.

There is a level 3 of 4 "moderate risk" for flash flooding for parts of eastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan. This could impact Chicago; Kenosha, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa; and South Bend, Indiana.

Flood Watches are up for portions of this region through Sunday morning.

There is high confidence of multiple rounds of training thunderstorms over this area, which will produce high hourly rainfall rates of one to two inches per hour.

There is another level 3 of 4 "moderate risk" for flash flooding for parts of southern Montana on Saturday, including Billings and Forsyth.

Flood Watches are up for portions of Montana and Wyoming through Sunday afternoon.

Yellowstone National Park is also included in the Flood Watch.

Rainfall totals here could reach up to one to three inches, with locally heavier totals over four inches possible where the heavier and more persistent storms could set up later Saturday.

There are also burn scars in this area from fires over the summer that are particularly vulnerable to flash flooding and debris flows during this time. This includes, but is not limited to, the Robertson Draw, East Side, Elk, and McGhee-Remington burn scars.

There is also an organized threat for severe weather in parts of the central Plains on Saturday.

A level 2 of 5 "slight risk" of severe storms is up for places like Wichita and Topeka, Kansas; St. Joseph, Missouri; Woodward, Oklahoma; Fort Morgan and Limon, Colorado. There could be a potential of damaging winds and large hail from severe storms later Saturday.

On Sunday, the flood threat will be in parts of the Lower Midwest and Ohio Valley, while the severe threat will linger in the central Plains.

The Northeast will still see soggy weather beginning Sunday and potentially lingering into the start of the work week.

Multiple rounds of rain, with localized heavy downpours, could bring isolated flash flooding impacts on Sunday, focused mainly on typical poor-drainage areas.