Dangerous thunderstorms may be in the offing once again as a developing storm system chugs through the Mid-South.
Low pressure will reach the Mid-South today, feeding off humidity from the Gulf as it reaches the moisture-rich environment. This will help to fuel thunderstorm development throughout the rest of today, some of which could reach severe levels.
The greatest risk for severe thunderstorms will be found from eastern Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel into northern Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. This area, including the cities of Memphis and Nashville, Tenn., Little Rock, Ark., Birmingham, Ala., and Atlanta will be likely to see damaging winds and large hail. Initially, the threat will be for hail to the size of baseballs across Arkansas and the Mississippi Valley, but will shift to favor wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph by the time the storms reach eastern Tennessee and Georgia.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, southern Illinois, western Kentucky and the western half of Tennessee. Cities included in this watch are Joneboro, Ark., Paducah and Bowling Green, Ky., and Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.
Today’s storms will chug through an area that received as much as 12 to 15 inches of rain last weekend, and so rivers and streams remain at unusually high levels. Fortunately, this storm will move relatively quickly through the region, limiting rainfall to less than an inch.
Flood Warnings remain in place across the Mississippi Valley, as any amount of rain will exacerbate the risk for flooding. If you come across water in the road, do not attempt to cross it as it is likely deeper than it appears. Remember, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!”
The storm system will then slow down as it reaches the East Coast, spinning northward along the Interstate 95 corridor to bring heavy rainfall to the drought-stricken Northeast on Friday and Saturday. A few inland locations may even see wet snowflakes mixing in with the rain.
