Tornado-Ravaged South Welcomes Brief Dry Spell

Parts of the South that were devastated by Wednesday's massive tornado outbreak are welcoming the start of a brief dry spell.

Residents across the South must now begin the painstaking task of sorting through all the debris left behind by Wednesday's violent and deadly tornadoes.

Hardest hit Mississippi, Alabama, southern Tennessee and northern Georgia will be able to start these cleanup operations without any interference from the weather.

High pressure will promote dry weather across these states today since the threat for severe weather has shifted to the Atlantic Seaboard.

High temperatures will be in the 70s this afternoon with reduced humidity and a return of sunshine.

Temperatures will warm slightly on Friday as the sunshine and low humidity continue across the entire South. The only exception will be South Florida, where showers and thunderstorms will persist.

The dry conditions will last into Saturday, but an increase in clouds and humidity over the lower Mississippi Valley will indicate that the return of unwanted stormy weather is just around the corner.

Showers and thunderstorms will likely rattle the lower Ohio and Mississippi valleys again Saturday night into Sunday. The storminess will spread eastward over the rest of the South Monday into Tuesday.

With these thunderstorms, the South may again be faced with more severe weather.

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist