CARTERVILLE, Ill. (WSIL) -- Severe weather and rain continue to batter our region with the potential of catastrophic flooding in some areas through Saturday.
Severe thunderstorms are moving into the area with the main concern for tornadoes in southeast Missouri. The confidence for flash flooding is also high with some areas receiving an additional 4-8 inches of rainfall.
The threat for supercell tornado is a high concern for parts of southeast Missouri.
Widespread flooding is also a particular concern. A flood watch continues through Saturday for the entire region. Several rivers are already seeing the possibility for major flooding, including parts of the Big Muddy River near Murphysboro, Skillet Fork River near Wayne City and the Little Wabash River in the Carmi area. The Ohio River at Cairo is expected to hit the major flood stage by this time next week and the Mississippi River at Hickman is forecasted to also reach major flooding status.
There is now a Level 3 risk for all of southern Illinois for Friday evening. The southern portion of southeast Missouri is still sitting at a Level 4 severe risk. All weather threats are possible, including large hail, damaging winds and the possibility of a few tornadoes. This holds true especially for southeast Missouri.
Many roads are already closed due to water over the road in southeast Missouri and western Kentucky. This is expected to continue through the weekend.
Stay weather aware and if you are driving out today and tomorrow, be extra careful. If you see water over the roads, turn around and don't drown.
