Severe storms, flooding, wildfires

Another stormy day for some drivers: Severe thunderstorms producing large hail, gusty winds, and/or flash flooding will be spotty across portions of the Rockies, Great Plains and the Mississippi River Valley. Severe storms will be a bit more common across a swath of the Midwest, especially tonight, in places such as Topeka, Kansas City, Des Moines, Chicago and Milwaukee. Isolated tornadoes could pop up in this region, too.

High water worries: Due to ongoing flooding, several sections of BNSF and Union Pacific subdivisions remain out of service in parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Also because of ongoing high water levels, one lock remains closed in the St. Louis area where barges have been moored for weeks. However, other locks have been reopened, so the situation is improving a bit.

Tinder box: Because of breezy, very dry conditions, there’s an elevated risk for wildfires in portions of the Great Basin. For now, the main areas of concern are the Reno and Lake Tahoe areas, as well as Las Vegas and southwestern Colorado. Any fires that spark could spread quickly, with smoke reducing visibility.