-- The US National Weather Service on Sunday said parts of the southern High Plains will see critical fire weather concerns due to strong wind and very dry conditions, while the Central and Southern Plains may experience severe thunderstorms.
Damaging winds, large hail, and strong tornadoes may also occur along with thunderstorms, which will likely impact the Mississippi Valley on Monday.
The NWS issued a red flag warning early Monday for parts of Texas, including Dalhart, Dumas, Borger, Pampa, Amarillo, Hereford, Clarendon, Canadian, Childress, Guthrie, Dimmitt, Plainview, Littlefield, Morton, Lubbock, Post, Matador, and Aspermont. The cities are within the service zones of Xcel Energy (XEL), American Electric Power (AEP)'s Texas unit, and Sempra Energy (SRE) subsidiary Oncor.
In New Mexico, the agency posted a similar warning for Raton, Clayton, Roy, Las Vegas, Santa Fe, Moriarty, Santa Rosa, Tucumcari, Clovis, Portales, Ruidoso, Cloudcroft, Alamogordo, and Orogrande, where Xcel Energy and TXNM Energy's (TXNM) PNM are the main service providers.
The NWS issued severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for parts of Kansas and Missouri. Evergy (EVRG) and Algonquin Power & Utilities' (AQN) Liberty both serve the two states, while Ameren (AEE) is also serving Missouri through its dedicated unit.
In Kansas, Topeka, Lawrence, and Leavenworth were placed under a severe thunderstorm warning, along with Missouri's Plattsburg, Chillicothe, Carrollton, Kansas City, Poplar Bluff, and Farmington.
Meanwhile, a flash flood warning was issued for parts of Manhattan, Topeka, Lawrence and Leavenworth in Kansas, and for areas around Joplin, Lebanon, and Rolla in Missouri.
The agency posted a freeze warning for Idaho's Rexburg, Rigby, Arco, Idaho Falls, Blackfoot, Pocatello, Shoshone, and Burley, within the service areas of Idacorp's (IDA) Idaho Power and PacifiCorp's Rocky Mountain Power.
The NWS issued a flood warning for areas near Washington's Winthrop, served by Puget Sound Energy, and cities close to Kansas' Paola, Missouri's Nevada Chillicothe, Warrensburg, Boonville, Harrisonville, Clinton, and Butler.
Parts of Illinois under the same warning include Waukegan, Rockford, Aurora, Clinton, Canton, Havana, Quincy, and Jacksonville. The main electricity providers in these areas are Ameren's Illinois unit, Exelon's (EXC) ComEd, and Berkshire Hathaway Energy's (BRK.B) MidAmerican Energy.
The agency also posted a similar warning for areas near Iowa's Clinton, Davenport, Burlington, and Keokuk, mainly served by Alliant Energy (LNT).
In Wisconsin, areas near Appleton, Beaver Dam, Madison, Kenosha, and Janesville, were placed under a similar warning. The state's main electricity providers are Xcel Energy, Alliant Energy, MGE Energy's (MGEE) Madison Gas and Electric, and WEC Energy (WEC) subsidiaries, Wisconsin Public Service and We Energies.
In Michigan, areas under the same warning include parts of Petoskey, Manistee, Kalamazoo, Houghton, Marquette, Iron Mountain, Menominee, and Newberry, primarily served by CMS Energy's (CMS) Consumers Energy, Upper Peninsula Power, Xcel Energy, and WEC Energy subsidiaries, Upper Michigan Energy Resources and We Energies.