(AP) — Thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected across a swath of the central and southern Plains today, from Texas northward to Missouri and Iowa.

Flash flooding will be possible in areas that receive multiple rounds of heavy rain, and river flooding is possible in the most flood-prone areas. In central and eastern Texas, a few thunderstorms may turn severe with hail, damaging winds and perhaps a tornado. Garden-variety thunderstorms are also expected in the Southeast.

Abnormal heat will begin to build across parts of California, with the dry conditions possibly enhancing wildfire spread across the Desert Southwest.

Rain and showers will spread northward into the Midwest, with the heaviest rain expected in the Ohio Valley.