Monsoon storms with flash flooding, damaging winds forecast for Southwest

ABC News(NEW YORK) -- Five tornadoes in Iowa, Kansas and Wisconsin were among nearly 80 damaging storms reported Tuesday from mostly Kansas to Wisconsin.

Tornado damage was reported in Wisconsin's Chippewa County, with some buildings completely destroyed and cars flipped.

Kansas and Minnesota saw straight-line winds gusting to 80 mph, with trees and power lines down.

Tennis ball-size hail was also reported in Nebraska and Kansas.

On Wednesday, the attention turns to the Southwest, where monsoon storms could bring flash flooding, damaging winds and dust storms.

A flash flood watch has been issued from California to Nevada and Arizona, including Las Vegas, Phoenix and Tucson.

In the Atlantic, we're still watching several systems but most of them are not posing any major threat to land mass anymore.

Heavy rain, flash flooding and gusty winds were reported throughout the island of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin islands Tuesday.

Winds gusted to more than 40 mph in some areas, and rainfall totals have ranged from 2-4" so far.

A tropical storm warning was canceled for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin islands as the storm moved away.

Nevertheless, some rain bands dragging behind Karen could still bring the threat of flash flooding and mudslides to the islands.

Over the next several days, Karen will slow down in the middle of the Atlantic and sit there not really affecting any land mass. After that, some forecast models have it dissipating.

Jerry has now become a post-tropical storm that will bring gusty winds to Bermuda.

And Lorenzo has become a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 80 mph Wednesday morning, but it poses no threat to land at all.

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