Threat for daily downpours in the Southeast to linger past Independence Day weekend
By
Ryan Adamson, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Jul 2, 2020 10:49 AM EDT
While showers and thunderstorms are commonplace across the South during the summer months, AccuWeather meteorologists continue to monitor an area of low pressure that stalled out over the region prior to the start of the holiday weekend.
The greater-than-normal coverage of thunderstorms that altered some residents' plans for the days leading up to Independence Day, as well as celebrations on the day itself, will continue to pester the area through early week.
While it will certainly not rain all the time, daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue. Although the showers and thunderstorms will be more numerous during the afternoon and evening hours, the storm system lingering over the area will mean that any time of the day could be wet.
With very high amounts of moisture in the air, some of the rain could be heavy and cause instances of flash flooding. In addition, any areas that receive multiple rounds of heavy rain over multiple days will also be at an enhanced risk for flooding.
"While a majority of the individual storms across the Southeast into early next week will not be heavy in nature, even repeated rounds of moderate rainfall can lead to some flooding issues across the region," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert.
Anyone planning another round of outdoor celebrations or more time at the pool on Sunday to close out the holiday weekend, will have to keep an eye to the sky for changing weather conditions.
Due to the long amount of time that the system will be over the same general area, rainfall will add up. By Monday, an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 5 inches is expected.
Since the start of July, locations from the lower Mississippi Valley, to portions of Georgia and Florida, have already received widespread 1.00 to 2.00 inches of rainfall.
Two such locations: Jackson, Mississippi, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, have recorded just under 2.00 inches of rain sine July 1. For both cities, this rainfall is equivalent to nearly 40% of their total average rainfall for the entire month of July.
A handful of locations have even recorded rainfall in the 3.00- to 4.00-inch range across the area.
The risk of downpours will continue through Monday, but are likely to spread northward in coverage over the southeastern United States.
"Ponding on roadways or even complete washouts are possible for areas repeatedly worked over by rain and storms," Gilbert noted. "Motorists traveling across the region should leave extra travel time and never drive through flooded roadways."
Portions of interstates 10, 20, 55 and 95 can be impacted by the storms.
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In addition, the repeated rounds of rain could create runoff and even cause rises in water levels for creeks and streams. However, the threat of major river flooding appears to be a low probability, even with this prolonged event.
This storm will shift slowly eastward and move off the East coast into midweek. However, AccuWeather meteorologists will continue to monitor the system, as it may have the potential to develop into a tropical system in the Atlantic later this week. The basin has already started to become more active once again.
After a prolonged stretch of quiet conditions, activity in the Atlantic basin spiked Saturday afternoon when Tropical Depression 5 formed about 250 miles southwest of Bermuda. This system has the potential to strengthen into Tropical Storm Edouard this weekend.
Despite the potential for strengthening, Tropical Depression 5 will bring no impacts to the U.S. mainland, but will bring some beneficial rain to Bermuda through Sunday.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Severe Weather
Threat for daily downpours in the Southeast to linger past Independence Day weekend
By Ryan Adamson, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Jul 2, 2020 10:49 AM EDT
While showers and thunderstorms are commonplace across the South during the summer months, AccuWeather meteorologists continue to monitor an area of low pressure that stalled out over the region prior to the start of the holiday weekend.
The greater-than-normal coverage of thunderstorms that altered some residents' plans for the days leading up to Independence Day, as well as celebrations on the day itself, will continue to pester the area through early week.
While it will certainly not rain all the time, daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue. Although the showers and thunderstorms will be more numerous during the afternoon and evening hours, the storm system lingering over the area will mean that any time of the day could be wet.
With very high amounts of moisture in the air, some of the rain could be heavy and cause instances of flash flooding. In addition, any areas that receive multiple rounds of heavy rain over multiple days will also be at an enhanced risk for flooding.
"While a majority of the individual storms across the Southeast into early next week will not be heavy in nature, even repeated rounds of moderate rainfall can lead to some flooding issues across the region," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert.
Anyone planning another round of outdoor celebrations or more time at the pool on Sunday to close out the holiday weekend, will have to keep an eye to the sky for changing weather conditions.
Related:
Due to the long amount of time that the system will be over the same general area, rainfall will add up. By Monday, an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 5 inches is expected.
Since the start of July, locations from the lower Mississippi Valley, to portions of Georgia and Florida, have already received widespread 1.00 to 2.00 inches of rainfall.
Two such locations: Jackson, Mississippi, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, have recorded just under 2.00 inches of rain sine July 1. For both cities, this rainfall is equivalent to nearly 40% of their total average rainfall for the entire month of July.
A handful of locations have even recorded rainfall in the 3.00- to 4.00-inch range across the area.
The risk of downpours will continue through Monday, but are likely to spread northward in coverage over the southeastern United States.
"Ponding on roadways or even complete washouts are possible for areas repeatedly worked over by rain and storms," Gilbert noted. "Motorists traveling across the region should leave extra travel time and never drive through flooded roadways."
Portions of interstates 10, 20, 55 and 95 can be impacted by the storms.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
In addition, the repeated rounds of rain could create runoff and even cause rises in water levels for creeks and streams. However, the threat of major river flooding appears to be a low probability, even with this prolonged event.
This storm will shift slowly eastward and move off the East coast into midweek. However, AccuWeather meteorologists will continue to monitor the system, as it may have the potential to develop into a tropical system in the Atlantic later this week. The basin has already started to become more active once again.
After a prolonged stretch of quiet conditions, activity in the Atlantic basin spiked Saturday afternoon when Tropical Depression 5 formed about 250 miles southwest of Bermuda. This system has the potential to strengthen into Tropical Storm Edouard this weekend.
Despite the potential for strengthening, Tropical Depression 5 will bring no impacts to the U.S. mainland, but will bring some beneficial rain to Bermuda through Sunday.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo