Severe Thunderstorms Push Eastward
The same storm system that sparked over 100 severe weather incidents Wednesday, spawned at least five tornadoes, and injured five people, is aiming for the Southeast and part of the Ohio Valley into tonight.
The system is becoming stretched out and, as a result, there are three widely separated areas of concern for damaging thunderstorms through tonight.
A few thunderstorms that form over Indiana, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, southwest Michigan, Kentucky and southwest Ohio into this evening will produce hail, gusty winds and perhaps an isolated tornado.
Farther south, thunderstorms over Florida and the southern Atlantic Seaboard will have their share of drenching showers and locally gusty thunderstorms through tonight. The main focus of the storms will be over Central and South Florida.
Orlando, Tampa and Melbourne are among the cities that will endure rounds of storms, some capable of producing flooding downpours, damaging winds, frequent lightning, and large hail. In the strongest storms, there can be an isolated tornado or waterspout. Some of the storm will make the trip into Naples, Fort Myers and Miami later on.
AccuWeather.com meteorologists are watching for a third area of thunderstorms, expected to fire up tonight over the lower Mississippi Valley and part of the Tennessee Valley. Lines of thunderstorms that form in this area would lead to damaging wind gusts and large hail.
Sporadic power outages can occur in any of these thunderstorm areas as gusty winds topple power lines and trees in some neighborhoods. Falling trees could cause injuries or damage to homes or vehicles.
Expect slow travel as the storms and areas of heavy rain move through.
People in these areas should pay close attention to the weather. If severe storms approach, take shelter immediately. Do not attempt to drive through flooded roadways.
This weekend, the storm's energy will be released in the form of a large, long-lasting wind and rainstorm in the Northeast, raising the concern for major flooding.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 82° | Gila Bend, AZ |
| Low | -13° | Clayton Lake, ME |
| Precip | 1.24" | Spanish Fork, UT |
WeatherWhys®
The "Dead of Winter," the one-month period when normal temperatures reach their lowest levels, has come to an end for much of the United States. Some people may find it odd that the "Dead of Winter" does not encompass the darkest day of the year (the first day of winter). That is due to a seasonal lag in temperatures. More heat continues to be lost than is gained from the start of winter until this time of year.
This Day In Weather History
Gulf Coast 1 (899)
ry cold morning along Gulf Coast; New Orleans 6.8 deg.; Mobile -1 deg.; Pensacola 7 deg.; Tallahassee -2 deg (All time record for Florida. Brownsville 12 deg. (all time low).
North Dakota 1 (936)
this date the mercury plummeted to -60 deg. at Parshall, ND - the coldest temperature ever for the State of ND. Later the same year, the mercury soared to 121 deg. at Steele, ND - the hottest temperature ever for the state of ND.
Rough Weather
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