Photo of a flooded roadway courtesy of Flickr. A few roadways across parts of the South will look like this today.
Storms capable of causing flash flooding stretch from southern Texas to the Southeast today.
A cold front marks the leading edge between a crisp, fall-like air mass to the north and tropical summer heat to the south. Thunderstorms erupting along this boundary today are feeding off a very humid, moisture-rich air mass and carry the potential for drenching rain.
Cities caught in the soggy crosshairs include Houston, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Jackson, Mobile, Montgomery, Tallahassee, Columbia and Raleigh.
Lazy, slow-moving storms will be capable of causing flooding in urban, well-paved areas as well as in spots with poor drainage. Flooding will also occur in low-lying areas where water can pool easily.
A few locations will have more than one thunderstorm, and the combined heavy rain will lead to potentially more significant flooding. In these spots, creeks, streams and smaller rivers could briefly rise out of their banks.
Besides flash flooding, the thunderstorms will cause isolated damaging wind gusts and hail up to the size of quarters.
Areas at greatest risk for violent thunderstorms lie across far southeastern Virginia and the eastern Carolinas.
Drivers on I-95, I-10, I-20 or I-85, among others, will need to be mindful of rapidly changing skies and blinding downpours. It could be sunny one minute, and pouring the next, creating a dangerous driving situation.
Travelers by air may not go unscathed either, as the storms have a good chance of delaying flights, especially in the Atlanta area. Raleigh, Charlotte and Houston airports are also at risk for delays.
Keep checking back at AccuWeather.com for the very latest on today's storms, and for all your weather needs.
Downpours and locally severe thunderstorms over the Central states will not only foil holiday weekend activities, but will also put some lives at risk.
A few days after a chilly storm departs the Northeast, warm weather will make a strong comeback in parts of the Midwest and the East later next week.
The storm responsible for the wind, cold, rain and snow in the Northeast Friday and Saturday will slowly ease up for the balance of the holiday weekend.
During Sunday's race, the skies will be variably cloudy with the risk of a few showers.
"This pup was literally singing when he saw his family," Michelle Karolicki, relocation program manager of the Central Oklahoma Humane Society, said about a reunion that took place on Thursday.
Another plunge of chilly air will set the stage for the risk of a frost and freeze centered Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and other nearby states this weekend.
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | N/A | |
| Low | N/A | |
| Precip | N/A |
Dallas, Ft. Worth Texas (1982)
Flooding rains in Dallas, Ft. Worth, area;
over 2" in most places. Total rainfall of
13" at this point of the month, making it the
wettest May since records began in 1898.
Wesley, LA (1991)
Heavy rain (25th-26th) resulted in widespread
flooding. One hundred-sixty homes -- 80% of the
total number of houses in town -- received
structural or water damage. A total of 6.5" of
rain fell in 2-1/2 hours.
Chicago, IL (1992)
32 degrees, latest 32 or lower on record.
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