Severe thunderstorms on Friday and into the weekend are expected to dump heavy rain over the Midwest and Plains regions where communities were still reeling from days of historic flooding.
Relentless rain surged river levels to record-breaking heights as floodwaters breached levees, triggered rescue operations, destroyed homes and led to three storm-related deaths.
Now, meteorologists are warning of developing thunderstorms capable of unleashing flash-floods, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes from northern Missouri to Iowa and northwestern Illinois, according to the National Weather Service .
As water levels began to recede Thursday and early Friday, floodwaters poured into the Des Moines, Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and headed south. AccuWeather forecasters warned the combined threat of swollen rivers and heavy rain could trigger dangerous flooding across the central Plains and Mississippi Valley.
At least 3 deaths tied to Midwest floods
At least three people across Iowa and South Dakota died as a result of the major floods that have swept across the Upper Midwest, authorities said.