Intense rain headed for Texas, Central US; near record-breaking heat could hit Pacific Northwest

More rain is in the forecast Thursday for a wide swath of the central U.S. spanning Texas, parts of the Gulf Coast and the Great Plains.

Slow-moving thunderstorms are expected to bring "intense rainfall rates" through Thursday, the weather service said.

"The central United States will have no shortage of active weather through the end of this week," the National Weather Service said.

Flash flooding is likely in this part of the country Thursday, ahead of even more rain in the Friday forecast, the weather service said.

Meanwhile, the upper Midwest, the Pacific Northwest and the Northeast are expecting temperatures to warm up Thursday and the warm weather to stick around through the weekend.

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Flooding in southeast Texas

The National Weather Service urged Texas residents and visitors to pay close attention to forecasts over the next few days, especially people who "live within a flood-prone region."

"Urban regions and flood-prone areas will be most at risk to rapid onset flooding," the weather service said.

The state saw heavy rain and lightning Wednesday, which continued into Thursday, the National Weather Service reported.

Central Plains can expect severe thunderstorms

AccuWeather forecasters are warning of a "weather danger zone" settling over the Great Plains Thursday, bringing severe thunderstorms, large hail and high winds capable of toppling trees, powerlines and even vehicles.

Forecasters say wind gusts could reach up to 65 mph and isolated tornadoes are possible.

"People living in areas from Denver to Rapid City, South Dakota, on southward to the Red River and communities like Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas, should be on alert for potent thunderstorms during the middle of the week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis said.

AccuWeather predicts the severe weather zone will shift slightly eastward to encompass places such as Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Omaha, Nebraska; Wichita, Kansas; and Oklahoma City. For some locations, this will be the third day in a row with the risk of severe weather.

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Potential flooding in Mississippi Valley

The lower Mississippi Valley will face a moderate risk of excessive rainfall Thursday, the National Weather Service said, and is under a flood watch from morning until night.

Initially, heavy rain is predicted to center around Arkansas, east Texas and Louisiana before heading eastward through the lower Mississippi Valley.

The National Weather Service in Jackson, Mississippi, predicts rainfall totals Thursday between 2-5 inches, with higher totals possible in some locations.

Parts of Oregon, Washington will sizzle in record-breaking heat

Parts of Oregon and Washington, including Portland and Seattle, are expected to sizzle under potentially record-breaking heat Friday and into the weekend.

The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat watch Saturday through Monday afternoon in western Washington as the region faces temperatures in the mid-80's to low-90's, creating a "moderate risk of heat-related illness."

Dangerous heat is also expected this weekend in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, according to the weather service.

The temperatures are expected to challenge records, according to AccuWeather. Portland, which usually sees highs of around 69 degrees in mid-April, will approach the mid-80s Friday and the 90s by Saturday, challenging daily record highs that have stood for 50 years. In Seattle, Sunday and Monday temperatures may break record daily highs.

"Temperatures may ease away from records toward the middle of next week, but they will remain well above historical averages for most, if not all, of next week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr said.

Northeast begins to warm up ahead of summer

The National Weather Service predicts a swath of the country spanning from the upper Midwest to New England could feel an "early taste of summer" starting Thursday and continuing for several days.

The warm weather is expected to spread from around Minnesota, through the Great Lakes region and on to the Northeast, bringing temperatures in the low-to-mid 80s.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Today's weather: Rain in Texas, central US; heat in Washington, Oregon