( CNN ) -- A Missouri woman was killed in the state 's flash flooding Thursday as inclement weather hammers several states in what forecasters predict will be a particularly nasty storm season . As rescue teams were performing 18 `` swift water rescues '' in McDonald County , Missouri , Thursday morning , the woman -- thought to be in her 60s -- was driving over a bridge when she was caught up in `` rapidly rising waters , '' said Gregg Sweeten , the county 's emergency management director . It was the second weather-related death in the state this week . Elijah Lee , 4 , died Monday after 6 inches of rain fell on Pulaski County , about 140 miles southwest of St. Louis . The boy was found in a vehicle swept up in the floodwaters that caught the community along Mitchell Creek off guard , said Missouri Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt . Dan Crain . His mother , Jessica Lee , 23 , of Waynesville is missing , and authorities and volunteers are using canine units in their search for her . Back in McDonald County , Sweeten said he was hopeful the Elk River , which runs through this county located on the Arkansas state line , about 80 miles southwest of Springfield , Missouri , would crest late Thursday night . South of the capital , Jefferson City , Interstate 44 was shut down because of high water . It 's since been reopened . Forecasters warn that areas along the Gasconade River could see record water levels , and widespread flooding is expected to continue in Missouri and Kansas into the weekend . Southern Missouri has witnessed widespread flash flooding as parts of 12 Midwestern and Eastern states experienced some sort of flood watch or warning Thursday . Nashville , Tennessee , was one of the hardest hit , as parts of the city saw as many as 8 inches of rain overnight and in the morning . Another 1 to 3 inches were expected Thursday afternoon and evening , according to forecasters . A flash flood emergency had been issued for much of the city earlier Thursday , and a flash flood warning remains in place until the afternoon . Atlanta also is under a flash flood warning until Thursday evening , and flooding is possible across much of Georgia , South Carolina and North Carolina . The weather struck as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revised its preseason hurricane forecast to say there is a 70 % chance of an `` above-normal '' Atlantic hurricane season . Where a normal season might bring six hurricanes , three of them above Category 3 or higher , this season could bring as many nine hurricanes , and five of them could be major , the NOAA says . The NOAA says the season , which runs through November , could yield as many as 19 named storms . CNN 's Dave Hennen , Jennifer Feldman and Eliott C. McLaughlin contributed to this report .
Official : Missouri woman killed in `` rapidly rising waters '' in Missouri . South of Missouri capital , Interstate 44 is shut down because of flooding . Parts of Tennessee , Tennessee , saw as many as 8 inches of rain this week . Weather strikes as Eastern upgrades preseason hurricane predictions .