JAMESTOWN, N.D. (AP) – Forecasters say heavy rain and thunderstorms expected this weekend could cause some flooding along the James River Valley.

Meteorologist Bill Abeling with the National Weather Service in Bismarck said early Friday afternoon that showers were lining up in western South Dakota from east of Rapid City through the east of Mobridge. He says they’ll likely trek between Bismarck and Jamestown and up through Grand Forks.

Abeling says there’s an elevated risk for flash flooding, but the weather service is just watching the storm and has not issued any warnings.

Jamestown is in the area with the highest potential rainfall, with 3 inches expected over the weekend.

A FEW STRONGER STORMS ARE POSSIBLE SOUTH CENTRAL INTO THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY FRIDAY AFTERNOON, THEN SPREAD INTO NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA FRIDAY NIGHT. SOME STORMS WILL CONTAIN TORRENTIAL RAIN…AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS COULD APPROACH 2 INCHES IN A FAIRLY SHORT PERIOD. THIS MAY LEAD TO SOME FLOODING ISSUES. IN ADDITION…STRONGER STORMS COULD CONTAIN HAIL GREAT THAN ONE INCH…IN ADDITION TO STRONG WINDS.

FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY

A VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERE WILL SUPPORT VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH SOME THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING ALONG AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER VALLEY THROUGH THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY AND GENERALLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94. THIS INCLUDES LINTON…STEELE…CARRINGTON…JAMESTOWN…WISHEK…LAMOURE AND ELLENDALE.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS FRIDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE SATURDAY ACROSS THIS AREA WITH WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS EXPECTED.

THUNDERSTORM CHANCES CONTINUE  THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. MORE RAIN SATURDAY OVER ALREADY SATURATED SOILS COULD LEAD TO FLOODING OVER FLOOD PRONE AND LOWLYING AREAS.

ANY AREAS THAT RECEIVE REPEATED HEAVY RAIN EVENTS FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK COULD EXPERIENCE FLOODING ISSUES. THERE COULD BE RISES ON LOCAL RIVERS…AND USUALLY FLOOD PRONE AREAS NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO LATER FORECASTS ON THIS HEAVY RAIN THREAT.

ANOTHER SURGE OF MOISTURE MAY MOVE  INTO THE AREA BY MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT…ADDING TO THE RAINFALL TOTALS IN THE REGION.