A tropical disturbance that made its way from Florida is now over the northern Gulf and is expected to bring heavy rain and flash flooding to the region on Thursday and Friday.

The National Hurricane Center said Thursday, July 17 a broad area of low pressure is expected to bring heavy rainfall to portions of the Gulf Coast.

Several historic and deadly flash flooding events have occurred in the U.S. just within the month of July alone. Experts talk about what factors are increasing the risks.

Storm drains along Interstate 435, a beltway that encircles most of the Kansas City metropolitan area, were unable to keep up during the deluge, he said, causing the highway to flood. Most of the rescues from vehicles took place at the highway’s 23rd St. exit, he said.

Statewide, rain totals ranged from .11 inches in Hamilton, Mercer County to 6.64 inches in Clark and 6.24 inches in Westfield.

The Center Valley area in Upper Saucon Township, where flooding was reported along Route 309, had a recorded 6 inches of rainfall, making it the highest rainfall total in the Lehigh Valley, according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey. Other areas had about 1 or 2 inches of rain.

A system was detected off the Atlantic Coast of Florida and is expected to move into the northern Gulf Coast and develop into a tropical depression.

EDT on Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a flood advisory in effect until 9 p.m. EDT for Genesee and Saginaw counties.

The possibility of localized flooding is strongest in the south metro, where some areas have already received 1 to 3 inches of rain.