Severe weather brings rain, flooding, and snow across the Western and Central United States

A slow-moving storm system is causing significant weather shifts across the United States. In the West, the storm is bringing heavy rain and potential flash flooding to the Rockies, New Mexico, and Colorado. Meteorologists warn that hilly terrain and desert locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with recent wildfire burn scars.

As the system moves toward the Plains, colder air is expected to bring the season's first snow to parts of the Dakotas, including the Black Hills, as well as eastern Montana, western Minnesota, and parts of Wyoming and Nebraska.

This wintry pattern in the West contrasts sharply with the central and eastern United States, where temperatures are forecast to rise well above average. Highs could reach the 80s as far north as central Illinois, while the Gulf Coast and southern Texas may see temperatures near 90 degrees.