Bad weather at the polls? Here's your Election Day weather forecast
Election Day 2026 dawned clear and cool across much of the nation Tuesday, with a few notable exceptions, primarily in the central United States, Florida and northern California.
According to Weather.com,
a storm system will bring showers and thunderstorms to the central U.S., including Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Houston.
And after a rainy stretch of days, more showers and storms are possible in Florida, the National Weather Service said.
A rainy day is also in the forecast for northern California.
Central US storms
Rain is likely on Election Day across portions of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan, potentially affecting voters traveling to polling places or waiting outdoors, according to AccuWeather.
Some locations may have several hours of steady rain, while others receive only a shower or two.
Farther south, warm, humid air will help fuel thunderstorms on Election Day from the Texas and Louisiana coasts northward into portions of Missouri and Illinois, AccuWeather said.
According to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, thunderstorms with a potential for isolated severe wind gusts and perhaps a brief tornado or two will be possible Nov. 3 all the way from the Texas/Louisiana border to the mid-Mississippi Valley.
In some cases, thunderstorms could lead to power outages in parts of the south-central region, AccuWeather predicted.
Florida flooding
In Florida, a persistent onshore flow will "maintain the threat of heavy rainfall for at least another day over southeast Florida," the weather service said on the morning of Nov. 3. The additional rain could exacerbate existing flooding. The weather service expects conditions to clear later in the week.
Read more: 2 feet of rain reported in Florida amid historic deluge
At least seven counties reported the relocation of certain voting precincts, according to the Florida Division of Elections.
Parts of Florida have received more than two feet of rain in recent days, forcing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare states of emergency in seven counties: Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, and St. Lucie.
Western forecast
Nearly the entire western third of the nation will be sunny and dry on Election Day, with the exception of northern California, where some rain showers are likely, the weather service said.
This includes the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento, which should both see steady rain on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Light snow showers are possible at higher elevations of northern California and northern Nevada, NOAA's Weather Prediction Center said.
Chilly temps, then mild
Temperatures could be on the chilly side from the Northwest to the Rockies and far northern upper Midwest, but they'll rebound to comfortable levels by the afternoon, Weather.com said.
The East and Southeast will also enjoy a mild and dry afternoon, as a stalled weather pattern has brought an extended stretch of sunshine and warm afternoons to much of the eastern half of the nation, AccuWeather said.
Doyle Rice is a national correspondent for USA TODAY, with a focus on weather and climate.
Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver