Flooding rain, thunderstorms to threaten the South into midweek
By
Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Mar 1, 2021 3:28 PM EDT
Heavy rain brought flash floods across a large section of the Southeast on Feb. 28, leaving parks and athletic fields underwater, roads washed away, and many people in need of help.
Slow-moving downpours stretched from Arkansas to West Virginia and prompted numerous flash flood warnings, road closures and even rockslides at the end of the weekend, and although AccuWeather meteorologists say that part of this corridor will dry out early in the week, areas farther south are likely to face more days of flooding rainfall into Wednesday.
The rounds of rain began late this past week across the South, and have already led to flooding issues in some areas. Nashville was just one of many locales to experience flash flooding as thunderstorms dumped heavy rain across the area Saturday night. Additional downpours moved in late Sunday, with rainfall totaling over 2 inches for the weekend in the city.
The AccuWeather radar at 11 p.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, shows an extensive swath of soaking rain and thunderstorms from Arkansas to West Virginia. This line has prompted numerous flash flood warnings. (AccuWeather)
Across Kentucky and West Virginia, there were numerous reports of rainfall in excess of 5 inches over the weekend, which prompted road closures and caused small streams and creeks to rise out of their banks and flood neighboring lands.
The heavy rainfall has blossomed in response to a clash of air masses across the center of the country. As record warmth enveloped the Southeast over the weekend, it was met by a much colder air mass spreading across the northern Plains and Midwest. This clash resulted in a nearly stationary boundary between the two air masses, which acted as a focal point for heavy rainfall.
For many of the areas doused by soaking rain over the weekend, a turn towards drier and settled conditions are expected on Monday as high pressure expands into the region.
Although largely dry conditions will filter in throughout Monday across the Tennessee, Ohio and mid-Mississippi River valleys, there will continue to be issues in the wake of the wet weather. Many area rivers will likely continue to climb near, or into flood stage as water continues to run off.
The front will continue to advance into the Deep South at the start of the week, bringing wet weather along with it. By Monday night, a new storm system is expected to develop in Texas along this frontal boundary.
The next wave of downpours will then traverse eastward across the South from Monday night, Tuesday and into Wednesday. Many locales along interstates 10 and 20 will be next in line for a soaking rainfall.
Along with the threat for localized flooding, embedded thunderstorm activity could also pack locally damaging wind gusts across the South into midweek.
Even in the absence of flooding with this next storm, the downpours are sure to slow travel and put a damper on any outdoor plans.
Once this storm system slides off the Southeast coast by Wednesday evening, a reprieve from the wet weather will be in store across the South for at least a few day span into late week as high pressure settles overhead.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, Fubo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
Flooding rain, thunderstorms to threaten the South into midweek
By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Mar 1, 2021 3:28 PM EDT
Heavy rain brought flash floods across a large section of the Southeast on Feb. 28, leaving parks and athletic fields underwater, roads washed away, and many people in need of help.
Slow-moving downpours stretched from Arkansas to West Virginia and prompted numerous flash flood warnings, road closures and even rockslides at the end of the weekend, and although AccuWeather meteorologists say that part of this corridor will dry out early in the week, areas farther south are likely to face more days of flooding rainfall into Wednesday.
The rounds of rain began late this past week across the South, and have already led to flooding issues in some areas. Nashville was just one of many locales to experience flash flooding as thunderstorms dumped heavy rain across the area Saturday night. Additional downpours moved in late Sunday, with rainfall totaling over 2 inches for the weekend in the city.
The AccuWeather radar at 11 p.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, shows an extensive swath of soaking rain and thunderstorms from Arkansas to West Virginia. This line has prompted numerous flash flood warnings. (AccuWeather)
Across Kentucky and West Virginia, there were numerous reports of rainfall in excess of 5 inches over the weekend, which prompted road closures and caused small streams and creeks to rise out of their banks and flood neighboring lands.
The heavy rainfall has blossomed in response to a clash of air masses across the center of the country. As record warmth enveloped the Southeast over the weekend, it was met by a much colder air mass spreading across the northern Plains and Midwest. This clash resulted in a nearly stationary boundary between the two air masses, which acted as a focal point for heavy rainfall.
For many of the areas doused by soaking rain over the weekend, a turn towards drier and settled conditions are expected on Monday as high pressure expands into the region.
Although largely dry conditions will filter in throughout Monday across the Tennessee, Ohio and mid-Mississippi River valleys, there will continue to be issues in the wake of the wet weather. Many area rivers will likely continue to climb near, or into flood stage as water continues to run off.
The front will continue to advance into the Deep South at the start of the week, bringing wet weather along with it. By Monday night, a new storm system is expected to develop in Texas along this frontal boundary.
The next wave of downpours will then traverse eastward across the South from Monday night, Tuesday and into Wednesday. Many locales along interstates 10 and 20 will be next in line for a soaking rainfall.
Along with the threat for localized flooding, embedded thunderstorm activity could also pack locally damaging wind gusts across the South into midweek.
Even in the absence of flooding with this next storm, the downpours are sure to slow travel and put a damper on any outdoor plans.
Once this storm system slides off the Southeast coast by Wednesday evening, a reprieve from the wet weather will be in store across the South for at least a few day span into late week as high pressure settles overhead.
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Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, Fubo, and Verizon Fios.
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