At least 120 people are confirmed dead and 170 remain missing after catastrophic flash flooding swept through Texas over the July 4 holiday weekend.

Flash flooding will remain a localized threat in central Texas through midweek, even as storms carry slightly less moisture than on Independence Day.

An area from the southern Atlantic coast to the northeast Gulf is being watched closely for tropical development around the middle of July, similar to where Chantal developed earlier in the month.

Portions of the eastern United States will remain at risk for more episodes of flooding downpours and thunderstorms capable of producing strong wind gusts into this weekend.

Scientists found that during the last ice age, thick ice covered and suppressed the number of eruptions. Then, as the Earth heated up, volcanic activity increased by two to six times.