Flood warnings remain in effect across nine states Wednesday, with the National Weather Service carrying 60 active alerts spanning Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Washington, and Wisconsin — a geographic footprint that has shifted and widened since yesterday even as the overall alert count has eased from a recent peak of 66.
The most notable development in the past 24 hours is the addition of Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico to the active warning map. Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is now possible across a broad Kansas-Missouri corridor, with the National Weather Service flagging more than two dozen counties on both sides of the state line — including Atchison, Leavenworth, Wyandotte, and Johnson counties in Kansas, and Buchanan, Jackson, Platte, Clay, and Ray counties in Missouri, among others. Residents near the Missouri River basin should monitor conditions closely.
In northern Michigan, where the event has been ongoing since last week, conditions are slowly improving but remain dangerous. Residual water from last week’s heavy rainfall continues routing through streams, rivers, and lakes across Manistee, Wexford, Cheboygan, and Emmet counties, with some warnings extended through Wednesday evening. Separately, historically high water volumes are affecting the Cheboygan River basin upstream of the Cheboygan Dam — a product of combined rainfall and snowmelt — with that warning in effect until 8:00 p.m. EDT Wednesday. In the Upper Peninsula, Baraga, Houghton, Marquette, Dickinson, and Iron counties remain under active alerts.
Texas, which was part of the warning footprint as recently as yesterday, has dropped off the active list. Alaska and New Mexico had previously cycled off before New Mexico re-entered the picture today, illustrating the fluid nature of this multi-day event.
The National Weather Service is urging residents in all affected areas to avoid flooded roadways. “Turn around, don’t drown” remains the standing guidance. River banks and culverts throughout the warning zones may be structurally compromised and should be avoided.
For residents in the Kansas City metro area — sitting at the heart of the Missouri River corridor now under flash flood watch — Kansas City weather conditions warrant close attention through midweek. Further south, where the alert boundary now touches Louisiana, New Orleans weather should be monitored as that region enters the active warning zone.
No rapid improvement is forecast for the upper Midwest. The National Weather Service has not issued a projected end date for the broader event, and river levels across the Missouri basin are expected to remain elevated through at least the coming days.