Here’s Why 36 Missouri Counties Now Face a Flood Threat

I knew that Missouri was in for another round of storms starting Tuesday, but I was not expecting this. I've just seen a bulletin that shows 36 Missouri counties are now under an urgent flood watch and I think I know why.

What's I've learned about the National Weather Service meteorologists is they love to speak technical jargon in their discussions while trying to explain to people like me what's actually going to happen in a way that I can understand. However, it's in one of those discussions that I've noticed an alarming number of Missouri places have just been placed under a flood watch. This list of Missouri counties now under a flood watch was just shared by the St. Louis office under their watches, warnings and advisories discussion:

• Adair
• Andrew
• Bates
• Buchanan
• Caldwell
• Carroll
• Cass
• Chariton
• Clay
• Clinton
• Cooper
• Daviess
• De Kalb
• Gentry
• Grundy
• Harrison
• Henry
• Holt
• Howard
• Jackson
• Johnson
• Lafayette
• Linn
• Livingston
• Macon
• Mercer
• Nodaway
• Pettis
• Platte
• Putnam
• Randolph
• Ray
• Saline
• Schuyler
• Sullivan
• Worth

What is the reason for this flood concern in Missouri?

Ryan Hall mentioned on his weather update today that the incoming storm system that may bring severe storms to Missouri starting Tuesday afternoon all the way into Wednesday morning now looks like it will drop large amounts of rain in a very short time. The red on this map shows places that could get 2 to 4 inches of rain in just hours.

That's why flash floods are now a concern for nearly all of Missouri starting late Tuesday. Make sure you're weather aware and have the ability to receive National Weather Service warnings in the event that severe thunderstorms develop or heavy rain or probably both.