Locally severe storms to rattle Gulf Coast states this weekend
Severe thunderstorms shift eastward across the Gulf Coast states this weekend bringing risks to outdoor plans and travelers. In the strongest storms there may be some risk to lives and property.
The man known as “Dr. Lightning” shares little-known facts and top tips for staying safe.
After storms brought drenching rain to the south-central United States through Saturday night, storms have continued eastward into the Southeast on Sunday.
On Saturday, strong wind gusts in thunderstorms brought down trees and damaged buildings across portions of Texas and Mississippi, and there were reports of hail (up to 1.75 inches) in eastern Texas as well.
On Sunday, the risk of severe thunderstorms will shift farther to the east, extending from the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama and the northern part of the Florida Peninsula to southern Georgia. Thunderstorms packing strong winds, flooding downpours, and potentially a few tornadoes will erupt, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
The storms will be given fuel from warm, moist air originating from the Gulf.
Those traveling through the region, including along the Interstate 10 and 95 corridors, or with outdoor plans will likely encounter disruptions. As the storms approach and pass over the airport hubs in the region, ground stops are likely and could lead to missed connections.
Lightning strikes pose the greatest risk to those outdoors, while torrential downpours can not only reduce visibility to near zero but also lead to flash flooding.
"A couple of the strongest thunderstorms could trigger a brief tornado," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
North of the severe weather zone, there can still be some thunderstorms in areas where periods of rain are in store along portions of the Interstates 20 corridor.
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