Wet weather continues for the Midwest! (credit: www.weathertap.com)

DISCUSSION: The Midwest is experience more wet weather tonight as a deep layer of moisture from the Pacific continues to exert its influence over the region. The Midwest already got a small taste of this wet weather today as storms moved through the region early this morning, with some areas receiving as much as 2 inches of rain. Warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico has been fueling the storms as they continue move across the Midwest ahead of a cold front that was positioned over the Rockies. The moisture has been situated along a ridge stretching from Missouri to Eastern Kansas as it struggled to head north. However, a nocturnal jet (fast-moving wind current surrounded by slower moving air) helped to push the moisture northward Thursday evening. Precipitable water values (Measure of the depth of liquid water at the surface that would result after precipitating all of the water vapor in a vertical column over a given location) are around 2 inches, which means these storms can be expected to efficiently produce rainfall tonight.

The cold front ahead of the warm air is forecasted to merge with the warm, moist air, providing additional energy to the system, which could lead even heavier rain as well as the possibility of severe storms this afternoon/evening.  The severe threats from these storms will most likely be marginally large hail, high winds, and heavy rain. The heavy rain from this afternoon/evening combined with the rain on Thursday morning and evening will continue the threat of flooding and flash flooding for the area. However, after this system moves through, cooler temperatures will prevail leading to gorgeous weather through the weekend. To learn more about other high-impact weather events from across North America, be sure to click here!

@Meteorologist Noah Hardy