By AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jan. 25, 2021 9:10 AM EST
In addition to a disruptive snow and ice storm set to impact portions of the Plains, Midwest and Northeast through early week, a potent storm system will also feature a swath of heavy rain which could raise flooding concerns.
The wet and "warmer" side of the storm system began to take shape during the latter half of the day Sunday and into early Sunday night across the South Central states. Heavy rain and thunderstorms broke out as a strengthening storm system lifted northeastward through Texas and Oklahoma, funneling moisture from the Gulf of Mexico northward.
Rain and thunderstorms are seen on radar across the South Central states early Monday morning, Jan. 25, 2021. (AccuWeather)
A steady rain and embedded rumbles of thunder will continue to expand eastward into the day on Monday, likely resulting in a messy morning commute for those across both the mid-Mississippi River and Ohio River valleys.
"It can be a slow-go for commuters on stretches of interstates 55, 64, 65, 75 and 81 at the start of the week with the potential for ponding of water on the roadways as well as reduced visibility," AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff stated.
Although the rainfall may lead to travel issues, there is a plus side to the wet weather. Many cities along the expected path of the rain have only observed a fraction of their monthly average precipitation thus far, so this storm will undoubtedly bring monthly precipitation departures back to near-normal levels.
"The rainfall will help to put some cities back on track in terms of average precipitation for the month of January. For example, Paducah, Kentucky, has only received around an inch of rain and melted snow as of Jan. 24, when they would have normally picked up 2.71 inches month-to-date. The city has the potential to double their month-to-date precipitation with this one event," Duff added.
Cities from Little Rock, Arkansas; Louisville, Kentucky; Evansville, Indiana and many more in the path of the expected rainfall will likely have their precipitation departures erased by midweek as the storm passes by.
Into the evening and overnight hours on Monday, a steady rain will continue to march eastward into the lower mid-Atlantic states, as well as portions of the Southeast. The steadiest rain may end up lining up along a corridor from the southern Virginias, to the Delmarva area, where 1 to 3 inches of rainfall is expected.
Rainfall totals in the 1- to 3-inch range will be common across the entire swath from northeastern Texas through the mid-Mississippi and Ohio River valleys and into the lower mid-Atlantic. Localized spots along a corridor from around Poplar Bluff, Missouri, eastward to Lexington, Kentucky may receive upwards of 5 inches between into Tuesday morning.
Into the day on Tuesday, any remaining wet weather from this storm system will largely reside east of the Appalachian Mountains. A majority of the heaviest rain will already have tracked off the Atlantic coast, however, there may continue to be some lingering showers across the Piedmonts and coastal Plains of the Virginias and Carolinas, as well as the central Gulf Coast states.
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