Persistent storminess to focus on Gulf Coast states this week
As rounds of thunderstorms continue to hammer the south-central and southeastern United States this week, the risk of locations experiencing severe weather and flash flooding will increase.
“Baseball-sized” hail was reported in parts of west-central Texas on May 26 as storms swept through the area.
Daily rounds of severe thunderstorms will focus across the Gulf Coast states into midweek, AccuWeather meteorologists say, bringing a multitude of hazards including damaging winds, hail and flash flooding.
A boundary separating cooler air to the north and warm, humid air to the south along the Gulf Coast states into midweek will help spark rounds of thunderstorms across the region.
On Memorial Day, thunderstorms that produced damaging wind gusts, hail, flash flooding, and even a few tornadoes charged across the southern Plains and Southeast. Hail bigger than the diameter of CDs and DVDs (5 inches) fell near Menard, Texas. There were multiple reports of hailstones in Texas to the size of golf balls, tennis balls, baseballs, and softballs.
Storms to focus from Texas to southern Georgia on Tuesday
Into Tuesday night, the risk of severe thunderstorms will shift a bit farther south and east from southwestern New Mexico to portions of southern Georgia. Thunderstorms can unleash heavy rainfall, raising flash flooding concerns, strong wind gusts that can snap trees and damaging hail. A tornado or two cannot be ruled out.
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Those still traveling from Memorial Day plans from airports in the region or on the road, including along portions of interstates 10, 55 and 75, should be prepared for potential delays from any thunderstorms.
Storms to continue to focus along Gulf Coast states at midweek
The multiday threat will continue on Wednesday afternoon and evening across the Gulf Coast as well as farther north into portions of Colorado and Kansas and farther east into much of South Carolina.
New Orleans, Houston, Austin and Atlanta are a few cities that may face damaging thunderstorms on multiple occasions from Memorial Day through midweek.
Thunderstorms that fire up through Wednesday afternoon and evening, combined with the rounds of thunderstorms in previous days, will continue to raise the risk for flash flooding across the region. Other hazards, including hail and damaging wind gusts, will also accompany the flash flooding risk.
Late-week downpours to remain along Gulf Coast, expand along Atlantic coast
Similar to Wednesday, thunderstorms will rumble along the Gulf Coast states and in portions of Texas, New Mexico and Colorado Thursday through Thursday night. This will keep cities such as Houston and New Orleans in play for yet another day.
Severe thunderstorms sparking across these regions will be capable of producing locally damaging winds, flooding downpours and even hail.
Those hoping for a break in the persistent rounds of thunderstorms will have to wait beyond the end of this week, as AccuWeather's team of long-range experts expect a front to move slowly through the region later in the week and into the weekend. The front creeping along will continue the stormy stretch across the Gulf Coast and portions of the Southeast, with the flash flooding risk as well as the potential for locally severe thunderstorms on Friday.
It may not be until the beginning of June when a drier pattern takes over in the region.
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