Heavy rain, severe storms to sweep through southern US
AccuWeather's Bill Wadell reported live from Texas on Oct. 24 as storms bringing beneficial rain also posed a risk for tornadoes and other severe weather.
An area of the country that has been particularly parched since the summer has seen some relief this week, but the needed rainfall will come at the risk of severe weather.
Part of the same powerful storm that brought a wave of snow across much of the Rockies this past weekend is expected to slide into the Southeast, unleashing a whole new set of hazards in some areas.
"As the storm develops in Texas and Oklahoma, it will deliver much-needed rainfall to the region," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert.
More than 70% of the state of Texas is in a moderate or worse drought, while 82% of Oklahoma is in extreme or exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Gilbert explained that the storm is likely to bring showers, rain and thunderstorms to the area, with widespread rainfall amounts of 0.50 of an inch to 1 inch expected across both states. Some locations from Oklahoma and northeastern Texas to eastern Missouri could see more like 1-2 inches of rain into Tuesday. A few locations could pick up between 2 and 4 inches. Included in this zone of heavier rain are cities like Oklahoma City and Springfield, Missouri.
Helping to fuel the higher rainfall amounts will be some lingering moisture from Roslyn, which made landfall in western Mexico early on Sunday morning as a Category 3 hurricane. While Roslyn dissipated over the mountainous terrain in Mexico, some of the former hurricane's moisture is forecast to shift across the lower part of the Mississippi Valley.
AccuWeather meteorologists warn that localized flooding is possible in some areas. However, most of the area can expect downpours to amount to nothing more than ponding on roadways.
As the week progresses, runoff will slowly filter into the tributaries of the Mississippi River, a location that has been making headlines in recent weeks. The historically low Mississippi River levels have severely impacted the supply chain and revealed century-old shipwrecks.
Any rain not absorbed by the ground will eventually filter into the Mississippi River.
"Any boost in water levels is likely to be brief, temporary and slight from the day or two of rain in the basin," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. "But, at least that portion of the storm system is some good news."
"It will not immediately reach the main stem either, as it could take days to a couple of weeks. At the very least, the recession of water levels will slow and stop, but levels could reverse and rise a few feet for a short time, before falling off again," Sosnowski said.
On the tail end of the rain, some wet snowflakes can mix in over parts of northwestern Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle Monday night. As a result of the storms in the Dallas area Monday evening, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport issued a ground stop for both arriving and departing flights. In nearby Frisco, vehicles were forced to drive through flash flooding.
Accompanying the rainfall will be the threat for thunderstorms to turn severe farther to the east, as well as potential tornadoes. A tornado watch was put into place by the National Weather Service in several eastern and central Texas areas, such as Austin, Waco and Palestine.
"The contrast of the warm air ahead of the storm and the cold air behind the storm will create a dynamic in the atmosphere that is favorable for severe weather," said Gilbert.
While a few severe storms can erupt beforehand, most of the strongest storms are likely to occur near or after dark on Monday evening as a squall line forms and advances across much of central and eastern Texas. People in the Houston area may have their sleep cut short as storms roll through during the middle of the night or prior to daybreak on Tuesday.
Thunderstorms developing in this area will be capable of producing heavier downpours as well as damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes.
Motorists along parts of Interstates 10, 20 and 35 should remain cautious for downpours and gusty winds that can bring reduced visibility and prove hazardous for high-profile vehicles.
The threat for severe weather shifts eastward into the southern Mississippi River Valley as the week progresses.
Downpours and damaging wind gusts are expected in western Kentucky to the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Drenching rainfall will extend even farther northward into the Midwest and Ohio Valley.
Following this storm, drier conditions are likely to return to the southern Plains through the middle of the week. AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring for another storm to sweep through the Northwest during that time, which may bring more rain to the Plains late in the week.
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