In the Midwest, quarter-sized hail and an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out, while in the South, flood alerts are in effect for areas that were devastated by flash floods last week.

Scholars and designers of early warning systems say that there are still huge gaps in our ability to predict flash floods and warn those at risk.

Straighter, smoother streams flow more violently than those that meander due to a reduction in friction. Areas with steeper terrain can see water accelerate downhill at a much faster rate causing a more destructive flash flood than flatter, open areas.

Back-to-back flooding disasters in recent years — in Texas, New Mexico and Kentucky, among many others — have showed that preparing for flash flooding is a new necessity as the planet warms.

A study puts the spotlight on Texas as the leading U.S. state by far for flood-related deaths, with more than 1,000 of them from 1959 to 2019

Recent flash flooding in Texas​, New Mexico​ and North Carolina​ is highlighting the extreme danger of these natural disasters and the need to be prepared.

A flash flood is a rapid rise of water along a stream or in a low-lying urban area, the National Weather Service said. Flash flooding can result from slow-moving thunderstorms, from numerous thunderstorms that develop repeatedly over the same area, or from heavy rains associated with tropical cyclones.

An analysis of National Weather Service job vacancies found that in more than a third of offices overseeing flash flood hotspots, one or more of three senior leadership roles are open.