Severe Threat Shifts East

After severe flooding thunderstorms kicked off the holiday week across the southern Plains on Monday and Monday night, the threat for more strong-to-severe thunderstorms shifts eastward.

After a night of heavy thunderstorms in Little Rock, Ark., Shreveport, La., and Tyler, Texas, towns and communities in the lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley and the Deep South will need to be on alert for potentially dangerous storms today.

Ahead of a cold front trailing from an area of low pressure centered over the Ohio Valley, warm and moist air will surge northward out of the Gulf of Mexico helping to fuel the nasty line of thunderstorms.

Thunderstorms should really get going by the midday and well into the afternoon which is when the severe threat will be at its greatest.

Most of the Southeast region will all be at risk for storms capable of producing high winds, hail and even some isolated tornadoes.

The greatest risk from these storms will be the damaging winds.

Gusts from thunderstorms may be in excess of 60 mph.

Winds of this magnitude will be capable of downing tree branches with the strongest winds capable of bringing down trees and power lines.

Although the threat for tornadoes is low, a couple of storms moving across Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama could produce tornadoes.

These storms have already shown a history of producing drenching rain capable of producing flash and urban flooding.

Rainfall rates with the heaviest storms will average between half an inch to one inch per hour.

Families traveling through this region to reach their destinations for the Thanksgiving holiday should be cautious and give themselves extra time to reach their destinations.

Heavy downpours may reduce visibilities and cause ponding on roadways, especially in poor drainage areas.

By this evening and through tonight, these storms will pick up speed as the cold front races to the east.

However, as the night goes on the wind threat associated with these storms will gradually diminish.

By Wednesday, the storms will hit the Southeast coast where there could be a slight chance for more gusty storms.

AG-ER Team