Severe weather: Flooding threatens plains, Midwest

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Over 2 million people across 7 states are at risk for severe weather today.

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A weather system moving across the central part of the country will bring heavy rain and the threat of severe weather across the region.

Severe storms threaten the Midwest and heavy rain expected throughout region.

The main threats will be damaging wind, large hail, torrential rain, with tornadoes becoming a possibility in the enhanced risk areas.

Many of these areas are already saturated with rain so flooding may become an issue as the work week begins in some of the affected areas.

Heavy rainfall of up to 5 inches is expected in some areas across the Midwest.

The weather system is then expected to move into the Midwest on Monday where there will be another day of potential severe weather.

There have already been 66 reports of severe weather including baseball-sized hail in Meade, South Dakota and wind gusts of up to 78 MPH in Thomas, Kansas.

The heat index will be in the triple digits across much of the southern states.

Elsewhere, heat advisories and excessive heat watches remain in effect across 11 states.

Heat index values are expected to soar into the triple digits from Texas to Florida and north to the central plains.

The heat is expected to remain in place over the next several days with heat index values above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in many cities until at least Tuesday.