Boulder, Colorado — Heavy rain and potentially life-threatening flooding are expected across large parts of the United States, with roughly two dozen states facing the threat of dangerous downpours from Friday through next week.

The unsettled weather is beginning across the Southwest, Intermountain West and Midwest, where flood concerns are already developing. The pattern is expected to continue into Monday and Tuesday as an intensifying super El Niño contributes to unusually warm Pacific waters and a moisture-rich atmosphere.

With several rounds of rain expected, areas already vulnerable to flooding could face an especially difficult stretch.

Burn Scars Face a Dangerous Flooding Threat

Some of the earliest concerns are centered across Idaho and Montana, where heavy rainfall is expected over wildfire burn scars through Friday night.

Burn scars can become extremely vulnerable to flash flooding because wildfire damage reduces the ground’s ability to absorb water. When intense rain falls over these areas, runoff can move quickly across the landscape, potentially carrying mud, rocks and debris with it.

Similar conditions have contributed to serious flooding in New Mexico and California in recent years, particularly in communities affected by wildfires.

More moisture could reach New Mexico and the Four Corners region next week as another storm system moves into western Mexico.

The flooding danger comes after a deadly incident on the Navajo Nation. Three people, including a child, were killed Wednesday after being swept away in floodwaters.

The region has also experienced other deadly flooding this summer. Three friends died following August flash floods at Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park, after earlier flooding in July prompted water rescues in Texas.

Heavy Rain Could Spread Across the Midwest

The Midwest is also expected to face a significant rainfall threat as the weather pattern shifts eastward. Federal forecasters warned that portions of the Upper Midwest could see heavy rain and flash flooding Friday.

The National Weather Service said:

“A Slight Risk is in place for portions of Montana and from the Dakotas into Minnesota and Iowa,”

By Saturday, the primary flooding concern is expected to move toward the Great Lakes states.

A broad area stretching from Nebraska to Michigan could experience periods of heavy rain, while locations closer to the Rockies, including parts of Colorado and Montana, could also see thunderstorms and downpours.

In Boulder, forecasters said scattered thunderstorms were possible Friday, with the potential for more widespread and intense storms Saturday.

The National Weather Service’s Boulder office posted:

“Higher coverage and intensity is expected come Saturday.”

East Coast Could See Several Rounds of Rain

The unsettled pattern is expected to extend into the eastern United States as well.

Communities from Boston and New York to Washington, D.C., Virginia and the Carolinas could see showers and thunderstorms through the coming week.

The National Weather Service office in Wakefield, Virginia, said a cold front would bring another chance for storms Friday evening and into Saturday morning.

The office said:

“Staying dry for most of Sun before rain chances return late Sun-Mon as a more unsettled weather pattern moves in,” the office said on X. “If you like the warm/dry weather, enjoy it now because changes are afoot!”

The forecast suggests that even areas that remain relatively dry for part of the weekend could see rain return as another weather system moves through.

Millions Could Face Storms This Weekend — Check the Day Weather Changes in Your Region

Severe Weather Is Already Developing

Some locations are already dealing with severe weather concerns.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina, while Charleston, South Carolina, was expected to experience one more warm day before a wetter Saturday.

The combination of repeated rainfall and thunderstorms could increase the potential for localized flooding, particularly where the ground becomes saturated or where storms repeatedly pass over the same areas.

El Niño Could Keep the Pattern Active

Meteorologist Ben Noll wrote in The Washington Post that record-warm Pacific waters are loading the atmosphere with additional moisture, while climate change is contributing to more extreme conditions.

He cautioned:

“And relatedly, storms will probably grow more frequent as winter nears, with elevated risks for flooding and severe weather, especially across the southern tier of states,”

That could mean the current rainfall threat is not necessarily an isolated event.

For residents across the affected states, the biggest concern will be how much rain falls in a short period and whether storms repeatedly track over the same communities.

Are you expecting heavy rain or thunderstorms in your area this weekend? Share your city and state in the comments and let us know what conditions you’re seeing.