The US National Weather Service on Wednesday said parts of central US are expected to experience multiple rounds of thunderstorms, with risks of persistent severe weather and flooding threats over the next two days.
Dangerous heat is forecast in southern and western US through mid-week, while fire weather concerns are likely in the Intermountain West due to hot and dry conditions and dry thunderstorms, the agency said.
The NWS early Wednesday issued a red flag warning for Colorado's Leadville, Buena Vista, Saguache, Salida, Alamosa, San Luis, and Fairplay. A severe thunder storm warning was raised for Limon, Colorado Springs, and areas near Trinidad, La Junta, and Pueblo. Pueblo and Colorado Springs were also placed under a flash flood warning watch, along with areas near La Veta Pass and Trinidad. Trinidad was also listed under a tornado warning alert.
Xcel Energy (XEL) and Black Hills (BKH) unit Black Hills Energy are the primary electricity service providers in Colorado.
In California, a red flag warning was raised for Baker, Barstow, Victorville, Twenty-Nine Palms, and areas near Wrighthood and Big Bear Lake, while an extreme heat warning was issued for Borrego Springs, Julian, Mount Laguna, Blythe and El Centro Imperial. These places are primarily served by Edison International's (EIX) Southern California Edison and Sempra Energy (SRE) unit San Diego Gas & Electric.
An extreme heat warning was issued for Arizona's Parker, Yuma, Phoenix, Globe, Tucson, Nogales, San Carlos, Safford, Oracle, Oro Valley, Benson, Green Valley, Sierra Vista, Bisbee, and Wickenburg. Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) unit Arizona Public Service Company, and UNS Energy subsidiaries Unisource and Tucson Electric Power are the major electric utility providers in Arizona.
The NWS issued a flood warning for Louisiana's Lake Charles, Jennings, Oberlin, Glenmora, Markleeville, Ville Platte, Opelousas, and areas bordering Mississippi and Arkansas. Entergy's (ETR) Louisiana unit, American Electric Power's (AEP) Southwestern Electric Power Company, and Cleco are among the major service providers in Louisiana.
In Texas, a similar warning was raised for George West, Beaumont, Bryan, and Lufkin. These places are majorly served by the Texas units of American Electric Power and Entergy, and Centrepoint Energy (CNP).
Affected areas in Illinois include Olney, Champaign, Decatur, Peru, Peoria, Pekin, Havana, Canton, Macomb, Jacksonville, Ottawa, and areas bordering Indiana and Missouri. Ameren's (AEE) Illinois unit and Exelon (EXC) subsidiary ComEd are among the major service providers in Illinois.
Mississippi's Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Vicksburg, Brookhaven, Jackson, and areas near Meridian, primarily served by Southern Company (SO) unit Mississippi Power, were also placed under a flood warning watch.
The NWS also issued flood warnings for Pensacola and DeFuniak Springs in Florida, where NextEra Energy (NEE) unit Florida Power & Light Company is the primary service provider; and Demopolis and Monroeville in Alabama, primarily served by Southern Company unit Alabama Power.
Flood warnings were also issued for parts of Washington, Indiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Oklahoma.