A strong cold front swept across parts of the United States on Tuesday, hitting several key battleground states with heavy rainfall and severe storms on Election Day.
The adverse weather could impact early voter turnout in some regions.
The most intense rainfall affected areas from eastern Texas to the Missouri-Illinois border, including St. Louis. Slow-moving storms were tracking over these regions, prompting numerous flash flood warnings. According to reports, some areas have already experienced 3 to 8 inches of rainfall overnight, creating dangerous conditions for residents and voters. The National Weather Service has warned of life-threatening flash flooding in some areas.
Although the storm system gradually shifted east, the rainfall that accumulated may disrupt early morning voting efforts in some states.
The cold front is expected to continue moving eastward, bringing showers to Minnesota and several critical battleground states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, and areas as far south as Louisiana. Historical data suggests that severe weather conditions, such as heavy rain, can slightly reduce voter turnout, CNN reported.
Wisconsin faced the worst of the weather among CNN’s seven identified battleground states. The Storm Prediction Center issued a level 1 out of 5 severe storm threat for much of the state. Voters in Wisconsin may experience widespread showers and thunderstorms, with the possibility of isolated wind gusts exceeding 60 mph and even the risk of a brief tornado.
The heaviest rainfall along the cold front was forecast to fall from eastern Texas to southern Indiana throughout the day, potentially further complicating voting efforts in those regions.
As the weather evolved, officials and voters alike braced for what could be a disruptive Election Day in these critical states.
