Severe Weather Starting Thanksgiving Week
Severe, flooding storms erupting over Oklahoma and Arkansas Monday night will expand across the south-central and southeastern U.S., through midweek, causing more than just Thanksgiving travel trouble. Lives and property will be threatened.
While a few violent thunderstorms brought this past weekend to an end from northeastern Texas to central Arkansas, a more widespread outbreak will unfold into Tuesday.
Severe Threat for Southern Plains Tonight
Tonight, it's northeastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma and Arkansas at greatest risk for severe weather.
Flash flooding is the primary concern with thunderstorms developing in these areas. However, a few of the most powerful will be capable of producing strong winds greater than 60 mph and quarter-sized hail. An isolated tornado cannot be completely ruled out.
Flooding was already breaking out in Arkansas Monday evening with portions of roads and highways being submerged by up to 1 to 2 feet of water in Russelville.
By the end of the day, 6.04 inches of rain had fallen at Little Rock Adams Field Airport, shattering the daily rainfall record of 1.54 inches in 1934. More rain is on the way.
A mobile home is destroyed Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011 at the AAA Mobile Home Park in Thomasville, N.C. Tornadoes touched down Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina. Dozens of homes and buildings were damaged and thousands of people were without power as trees and power lines were downed. (AP Photo/The Enterprise, Sonny Hedgecock)
Heavy thunderstorms were moving through the Dallas area during the evening, resulting in flight delays. Tyler, Texas, Little Rock, Ark., and communities north and west of Houston will be at risk tonight.
Severe Threat Shifts East Tuesday
As the cold front triggering nasty thunderstorms marches farther east, so will the severe weather threat Tuesday. Southeastern Texas, eastern Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and western parts of Tennessee and Kentucky will be in the path of dangerous storms.
Houston, Lake Charles, La., Jackson, Miss., and Nashville, Tenn., will all be at risk for storms capable of producing high winds, hail and isolated tornadoes.
Downed trees and power lines may crash down onto homes, vehicles and roads with sporadic power outages occurring. People without shelter will be endangered by falling tree branches and trees with the worst of the storms.
Thunderstorms will really get moving along by midweek, hitting the Southeast Coast.
Keep checking back for the latest on the severe weather threat and the outlook for Thanksgiving travel.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 100° | Smyrna, TN |
| Low | 15° | Sunset Crater, AZ |
| Precip | 3.99" | Wadena, MN |
WeatherWhys®
Hail is much more common during the months of May and June compared to July and August. The main reason is the fact that the freezing level is usually higher during July and August as pockets of cold air in the upper atmosphere are less common as the jet stream weakens and retreats farther north.
This Day In Weather History
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