Wednesday's live blog: Day 3: Severe storms & flood risk grows

It is day three of severe weather across the Plains as systems come to a halt around the same general area. As widespread thunderstorms also extend from the Northern Plans through Texas and the risk of flash floods also increases for the Lone Star State and other Gulf States. This live blog tracks Wednesday's severe weather and renewed flooding threat across parts of the nation.

As storms begin to develop across parts of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas there is a tornado watch that has been placed in effect for parts of these three states. For Colorado, 17 counties are under the tornado watch, including Denver County where the number is located. For Kansas, there are eight and 7 counties in Nebraska under a tornado watch. This watch will be in effect until 10 p.m. A watch means that conditions are favorable for tornados to develop.

Storms will be developing this afternoon into the evening. Please make sure to have at least 3 ways to be alerted in case a tornado warning is issued for your location.

Fine-tuning the timing of severe storms developing over the Rockies expect the first storms to develop after 4 p.m. local time. The highest elevations across the western portion of Colorado will get a few flurries and mixed precipitation, while the highest risk for severe storms will be focused from Denver eastward.

Since the last update, the daily rainfall for Southeast Texas continues to grow. Several areas around the Houston region are showing flooding as well as bayous increasing their levels. Another .25 inches of rain has fallen across Downtown Houston. Precipitation has started winding down a bit, at least the heaviest ones. There are plenty of clouds still present and there will be some isolated storms still moving through Southeast Texas this afternoon. The widespread storm will be a thing of the past, but for the rest of the week there could be some isolated storms affecting this same region, mainly in the afternoons.

Our WeatherRadar continues to show downpours and storms with frequent lightning affecting Southeast Texas. Some of the rains have expanded to much of Louisiana and some of the showers have arrived in the Metroplex area by this 11th hour of the day.

A bit more north, a cluster of thunderstorms is pushing through central Nebraska. There is a chance for some isolated storms to become severe.

In areas just north of Denver, some residents woke up to hail. The hail was so copious, and some were as big as tennis balls, that caused damage to some cars. The severe storms moved overnight and have winded down, but there is more to come later on Wednesday.

By the afternoon, severe storms will be more likely across eastern Colorado, where there is an enhanced risk, level 3 out of 5 on the severity scale, for storms to produce damaging winds of more than 70 mph, large hail, and a few tornadoes. These threats could impact the metro Denver area, mainly after 2 p.m. local time.

A low-pressure system developing from a trough over Southeast Texas will continue to produce prolific showers and storms on Wednesday. Since midnight about 2.25 inches have been felt in Downtown Houston, over 2.5 inches in areas southwest of Houston outside of the 610-loop, and around 1 inch to the northwest of Downtown around the Jersey Village area. Cities around the Galveston Bay through Texas City have received between 1 and two inches and the rain will continue to fall today.

The ground is already well saturated from all the rains on Tuesday. Wednesday's rain will just add to the threat of flooding to happen and even some areas, where storms become parked or more persistent could see flash floods.

These are the areas where excessive flooding can occur on Wednesday

It's another day with the risk of severe thunderstorms across the entire middle section of the United States and parts of the Rockies, but also scattered thunderstorms will be possible on Wednesday for the Midwest, deep South, and much of the Southeast. Nearly 40 states will experience some sort of shower or thunderstorm.

These thunderstorms, for many places like Houston and New Orleans, will be a continuation of Tuesday. Across the southern Gulf States, rains have been present overnight and sunrise arrived with some flood waters affecting the morning commute.