Meteorologists monitor the threat for more rain, thunderstorms in the South
The start of 2020 turned from dry to wet across much of the South with another storm with more rain and storms on the way from Dallas to Atlanta.
By
Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Jan 18, 2020 4:00 PM EST
According to the NOAA 2019 U.S. Climate Report, 2019 was the second wettest year on record, which helped some places but caused severe damage to others.
The start of 2020 turned from dry to wet across the United States for many in the South and another storm this week could add even more rain to areas from Dallas and Houston to Atlanta.
Forecasters say the next storm to arrive will increase the threat for flooding in these areas.
"A storm looks to gather in Texas around midweek, which will help to generate rain across much of the south-central United States," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Eric Leister.
Rain will begin in Texas Tuesday night and Wednesday, but the rain is likely to expand and become more intense as the storm develops into Wednesday night.
Widespread rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches are likely from central Texas to Mississippi and Alabama, with more than 3 inches of rain possible in some places.
Given how wet the area has been so far in January, too much rain could lead to flash flooding issues.
Any thunderstorms, which are more likely to have heavier downpours, could increase the chance for flash flooding problems. Low-lying and poor drainage areas will be the most susceptible.
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Following a potent storm that dumped ice and rain across the Midwest and Northeast, milder air is expected to reach the Plains by midweek.
The warmth may accelerate snowmelt farther north; the combination of the melting snow heading downstream as well as the midweek rain could also bring river flooding concerns.
Minor or moderate flooding may be observed on some rivers and streams before the end of the week.
Another impact to the Texas storm's development will be a second storm, which may also form in the Front Range of Colorado midweek.
"Exactly how these two storms interact with each other will influence how far north the heaviest rain reaches," added Leister.
A stronger northerly storm is more likely to draw up the Gulf moisture into parts of Kansas and Missouri, bringing heavy rain to these locations as well.
The northernly storm may also bring the potential for snow from the central Plains to the Great Lakes during the latter half of the week.
Much of the South was experiencing below-normal rainfall amounts from December through the first week of the new year, managing to get missed by the storms that traveled across the northern tier of the country.
As a result, much of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, were under a drought. Cities like Little Rock, Arkansas, Oklahoma City and Houston all ended the month of December with 15 percent or less of the month's normal rainfall.
Since then, several storms helped to lessen the dry conditions for some locations. Little Rock recorded over 4 inches of rain during the first half of January, while Oklahoma City recorded just shy of 2 inches of rain on just Jan. 16 and 17.
However, according to the update from the U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday, much of Texas still remained in at least a moderate drought.
The rain on the way, should it be light and steady, rather littered with heavy downpours, could help to alleviate the drought conditions across much of the state.
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
Meteorologists monitor the threat for more rain, thunderstorms in the South
The start of 2020 turned from dry to wet across much of the South with another storm with more rain and storms on the way from Dallas to Atlanta.
By Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Jan 18, 2020 4:00 PM EST
According to the NOAA 2019 U.S. Climate Report, 2019 was the second wettest year on record, which helped some places but caused severe damage to others.
The start of 2020 turned from dry to wet across the United States for many in the South and another storm this week could add even more rain to areas from Dallas and Houston to Atlanta.
Forecasters say the next storm to arrive will increase the threat for flooding in these areas.
"A storm looks to gather in Texas around midweek, which will help to generate rain across much of the south-central United States," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Eric Leister.
Rain will begin in Texas Tuesday night and Wednesday, but the rain is likely to expand and become more intense as the storm develops into Wednesday night.
Widespread rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches are likely from central Texas to Mississippi and Alabama, with more than 3 inches of rain possible in some places.
Given how wet the area has been so far in January, too much rain could lead to flash flooding issues.
Any thunderstorms, which are more likely to have heavier downpours, could increase the chance for flash flooding problems. Low-lying and poor drainage areas will be the most susceptible.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Following a potent storm that dumped ice and rain across the Midwest and Northeast, milder air is expected to reach the Plains by midweek.
The warmth may accelerate snowmelt farther north; the combination of the melting snow heading downstream as well as the midweek rain could also bring river flooding concerns.
Minor or moderate flooding may be observed on some rivers and streams before the end of the week.
Another impact to the Texas storm's development will be a second storm, which may also form in the Front Range of Colorado midweek.
"Exactly how these two storms interact with each other will influence how far north the heaviest rain reaches," added Leister.
A stronger northerly storm is more likely to draw up the Gulf moisture into parts of Kansas and Missouri, bringing heavy rain to these locations as well.
The northernly storm may also bring the potential for snow from the central Plains to the Great Lakes during the latter half of the week.
Related:
Much of the South was experiencing below-normal rainfall amounts from December through the first week of the new year, managing to get missed by the storms that traveled across the northern tier of the country.
As a result, much of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, were under a drought. Cities like Little Rock, Arkansas, Oklahoma City and Houston all ended the month of December with 15 percent or less of the month's normal rainfall.
Since then, several storms helped to lessen the dry conditions for some locations. Little Rock recorded over 4 inches of rain during the first half of January, while Oklahoma City recorded just shy of 2 inches of rain on just Jan. 16 and 17.
However, according to the update from the U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday, much of Texas still remained in at least a moderate drought.
The rain on the way, should it be light and steady, rather littered with heavy downpours, could help to alleviate the drought conditions across much of the state.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo