一场风暴正朝美国中部逼近，将于大选日到达，可能影响该地区关键选战的选民投票率。
A storm headed for the central United States on Election Day could affect voter turnout in key races across the region.
这场风暴的雏形目前位于西海岸近海，将于周六晚间进入美国境内。它将从热带太平洋引入大量水汽，在周末给西南部带来严重的洪水威胁，随后于大选日给中部各州带来潮湿天气。
The beginnings of our storm are just off the West Coast and will cross into the US Saturday night. It will funnel in abundant moisture from the tropical Pacific, setting up a serious flooding threat in the Southwest this weekend before it brings soggy weather to the central states for Election Day.
预计周日至周一，四角州——亚利桑那州、新墨西哥州、犹他州和科罗拉多州——将出现大暴雨，可能引发严重山洪，随后该系统将于大选日推进至美国中部。
Heavy rain is expected to fall over the Four Corners states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado on Sunday into Monday, and could bring serious flash flooding, before the system marches into the central US by Election Day.
周二，大平原和上中西部至下密西西比河谷和墨西哥湾西部沿岸的广大地区都可能出现潮湿天气。爱荷华州、堪萨斯州、密歇根州和得克萨斯州的关键选战可能遭遇暴风雨天气。
Soggy weather is likely for a widespread area on Tuesday, stretching from the Great Plains and Upper Midwest to the Lower Mississippi Valley and western Gulf Coast. Stormy conditions are possible for keys races in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan and Texas.
周二目前洪水威胁较低，但前往投票站的选民可能会遇到道路积水。
The threat of flooding rain on Tuesday is currently low, but voters traveling to the polls could encounter ponding on roads.
风暴南侧预计将出现雷暴，其中部分可能增强为强对流天气，影响范围从得克萨斯州东部延伸至阿肯色州、路易斯安那州、密西西比州和田纳西州。
Thunderstorms are expected on the storm’s southern side, a few of which could intensify and turn severe from eastern Texas into Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.
受影响各州的大部地区也可能出现大风天气，尤其是大平原地区。堪萨斯州阵风风速可能达每小时30至40英里，内布拉斯加州最高可达每小时50英里。
Blustery conditions are also likely throughout a large portion of the impacted states, especially in the Plains. Kansas could see wind gusts between 30 to 40 mph, up to 50 mph in Nebraska.
天气状况可能会影响这些州以及美国中部其他州的投票率，这些州的选民不属于已通过提前投票投出选票的4900多万人之中。
Weather conditions couldfactor in to voter turnout in those states and for others in the central US who aren’t among the more than 49 million people who have already cast ballots through early voting.
多项研究发现，降雨等恶劣天气往往会抑制投票率，而晴朗天气则效果相反。
Rainfall and other active weather tend to suppress voter turnout while sunshine has the opposite effect, multiple studies have found.
美国东海岸大部和西部地区大选前后大概率将维持干燥天气。唯一的例外是东南部沿海地区和加利福尼亚州北部，这些地方目前尚不能完全排除骚扰性阵雨的可能性。
Dry weather will likely sandwich the storm along much of the East Coast and in the West. The only exception is coastal areas of the Southeast and northern California where nuisance showers can’t be completely ruled out yet.
全国范围内，选民外出投票无需穿厚衣御寒。预计美国东部大部地区的最高气温将比常年同期高出 5 至 20 华氏度。只有西南部部分地区的气温会比常年同期略低一些。
Across the country though,there will be no need to bundle up to go vote. High temperatures in most of the nation’s eastern half are forecast to be 5 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above average. Only portions of the the Southwest will have temperatures tilting a bit cooler than average.
以下细分展示了中期选举几个关键州的天气预报。请注意，随着对风暴路径的预测信心在本周末增强，这些预报很可能会发生变化。
The breakdown below shows the forecast for some of the key states in the midterms. Keep in mind these forecasts will likely change as confidence grows in the storm’s path over this weekend.