South-Central U.S. and Southeast Bracing for More Severe Storms

Residents of the south-central and southeastern U.S. have been put on alert to be watchful for the threat of severe weather this weekend. The potential impacts include tornadic activity and flash flooding. Here is what you need to know about this dangerous situation.

Weekend Weather Shaping Up to be a Rocky Affair for Much of the South

Forecasters are warning that the most significant rash of severe weather since last fall is possible this weekend across the south-central and southeastern portions of the country. The primary impact zone will encompass the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, putting lives and property at risk.

The impending severe weather event will feature the necessary ingredients for the production of multiple tornadoes. Meteorologists are predicting that some of the strongest twisters could hit the intensity of an EF2 or EF3 event. The most powerful tornadoes are expected to strike late Saturday and into the overnight hours.

The twisters may catch people off guard because of the timing of the expected tornadic activity during the latter part of the day and night. Tornadoes that spring up under the cover of darkness are inherently more dangerous as people may be sleeping. The funnels are also often obscured by the darkness, making them more difficult to spot.

Storms of this magnitude may contain straight-line wind gusts capable of uprooting trees and creating widespread property damage. Mobile homes will be particularly susceptible to damage during this anticipated storm event.

Tornadoes will not be the only threat associated with this weather maker. The torrential rain will also raise the risk of flash flooding in a zone from northeastern Texas and into Kentucky, Tennessee, the western half of North Carolina, and the northern and central portions of Georgia. High winds will also be a concern in this area of impact.

Looking at a few specific areas, Memphis is forecast to see the storm action fire up on Saturday with the height of activity expected in the afternoon and evening hours. Torrential rain during the overnight hours will amount to about 1 to 2 inches of accumulation. It will also be a breezy day with winds out of south-southwest at 10 to 20 mph. Saturday's high temperatures will hover in the upper 60s in Memphis. However, the arrival of a cool front will bring the mercury down into the mid 30s overnight before topping out in the upper 30s for a high on Sunday.

The rain and storms will take longer to arrive to the south in places such as Jackson, Mississippi. The capital city will start the day on a dry note with the rain arriving in the late afternoon and evening hours. You can expect about an inch of rain overnight Saturday and into Sunday. Forecasters are cautioning this area to be prepared for times of heavy rain, high winds, and potential tornadoes. After seeing the mercury soar into the low 80s for a high on Saturday, the overnight readings will plummet into the mid 40s. Sunday's high will max out in the low 50s in Jackson.

Sunday's Forecast Predicts the Storms Will Push to the North and the East

The line of severe storms will track to the north and the east on Sunday, bringing the impacts to a different corner of the country. Sunday's risks will stretch from northern and central portions of Florida and up into Maryland, Delaware, and southern New Jersey.

This latest severe weather event is forecast to send heavy rainfall to a widespread area. How much rain should you expect? The forecast is calling for rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches from Friday night through Sunday morning to a region stretching from northern Mississippi and eastern Arkansas up into southern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, and the majority of West Virginia. This amount of rain will create serious concerns about urban and small stream flash flooding.

The heaviest rain bands are expected to set up over portions of Tennessee and Kentucky. The latest forecast models indicate that this area will pick up 4 to 8 inches of rain by the time that the system pushes to the east.

Once again, Asheville, North Carolina will be in the bullseye for this inclement weather. This part of the interior Southeast is still recovering from the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Helene last September. The rain will begin to pick up Saturday night with a quarter of an inch in the forecast. Another quarter of an inch is expected on Sunday morning. Winds will be the big story in Asheville, expected to come in at speeds of 15 to 25 mph from the west. Highs will hover in the mid 50s before tumbling to about 22 degrees overnight.

The storm cells will also reach the coastline of the Atlantic. For example, Wilmington, North Carolina is predicted to see a dreary Sunday with scattered rain showers and a good chance of thunderstorms. It will be especially windy in this part of the Southeast with winds whipping around at speeds of 25 to 25 mph from the west. The forecast is calling for a high of about 67 degrees in Wilmington along with lows that fall into the upper 30s. Like the rest of the region, the next day will bring noticeably cooler temperatures.

Rainfall rates will be intense with the bulk of the moisture falling in a period of 24 hours or less. Too much rain too quickly will lead to meaningful rises on area rivers. Keep in mind that this part of the region has already been under the gun for significant rainfall over the last week. The hardest-hit areas may record up to 20 inches of rain since last Monday.

Urban and hilly terrains will be the most vulnerable to life-threatening flooding. As always, it is important to remember never to try to drive through flooded roadways. Rain of this degree could wash away roads completely.

Flooding is also a slow-moving weather hazard. The cumulative impacts of the rain may take time to filter into larger waterways. This means that the flooding threat will persist well into next week.

Storm Just One of Many in Busy Weather Pattern

The weekend storm is just another in a string of systems moving across the country. It was just a few days ago that a tornado ripped through the community of Columbia, Mississippi. The twister hit around 4 pm CST on Wednesday, damaging at least 20 houses and creating widespread power outages. There were no injuries attributed to the storm.

Lastly, meteorologists are keeping close tabs on the possibility of another storm that will track into the region next week. While the northern flank of the storm will bring wintry impacts, the southern half of the U.S. is likely to see more heavy rain and severe thunderstorms out of this system. We will continue to update you as the predicted path and intensity of this storm becomes more precise in the days ahead.

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