Severe weather to rip across South, East Coast as powerful storm unfolds
By
Ryan Adamson, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Nov 28, 2020 11:53 PM EDT
Following a Thanksgiving in which much of the country enjoyed tranquil weather, things will change in a dramatic way in subsequent days.
The first sign of an evolving storm will show itself into the first part of this weekend. The primary threat will be tied to heavy rain and thunderstorms potentially causing flooding along the western Gulf coast, with locations such as Lake Charles, Louisiana and Houston that will face the risk of flooding rainfall through Saturday.
In preparation for the potential flash flooding on Saturday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott deployed emergency crew throughout the state to help small communities.
"While low-lying and poor-drainage areas will be most at risk for flash flooding complications, anyone traveling amidst these storms should be on alert for ponding or flooding on roadways," cautioned AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert.
By Saturday night, as an area of low pressure forms over the Gulf of Mexico and moves northeastward, the adverse weather will follow suit. Warm and moist air flowing northward from the Gulf will help to fuel thunderstorms. Only areas along the far southern Louisiana coast will have a threat for severe thunderstorms very late Saturday night.
From there, the severe threat will expand.
"A deep push of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will combine with a strengthening area of low pressure to set off a multi-day severe threat across the southern United States," stated Gilbert.
On Sunday, as the storm system continues to move northeastward, the warm and moist air will be drawn farther northward. In addition, the storm will be strengthening, which will further aid to the potential for strong-to-severe thunderstorms. New Orleans; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Montgomery, Alabama will be just a few cities at risk for severe thunderstorms on Sunday.
"Any travelers on interstates 10, 65 and 85 will need to monitor for rapidly changing conditions on Sunday," said Gilbert.
The threat will shift eastward Sunday night where residents in Albany, Georgia; Tallahassee, Florida; and Aiken, South Carolina will all need to keep an eye to the sky.
Thunderstorms during the night are sometimes the most dangerous as people are sleeping and may not receive severe weather warnings. Before going to sleep on Sunday night, anyone in southern Georgia, the Florida Panhandle and west-central South Carolina will want to be sure they have a way to get warnings in the middle of the night.
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The system will turn northward early next week, likely tracking just to the west of the Appalachians. West of the storm path, heavy snow will unfold. East of the path of the storm, a large area along the East coast will have a risk of severe thunderstorms. Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Wilmington and Raleigh, North Carolina; Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia; Washington, D.C. and New York City will all have a chance of severe weather on Monday.
Throughout the severe weather event, all hazards will be possible.
"The strongest thunderstorms on Sunday and Monday can unleash torrential downpours, damaging wind gusts and even an isolated tornado or two," said Gilbert. "However, the risk for tornadoes will decrease as these storms track farther north into the mid-Atlantic."
By Tuesday, any thunderstorms should move out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
Severe weather to rip across South, East Coast as powerful storm unfolds
By Ryan Adamson, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Nov 28, 2020 11:53 PM EDT
Following a Thanksgiving in which much of the country enjoyed tranquil weather, things will change in a dramatic way in subsequent days.
The first sign of an evolving storm will show itself into the first part of this weekend. The primary threat will be tied to heavy rain and thunderstorms potentially causing flooding along the western Gulf coast, with locations such as Lake Charles, Louisiana and Houston that will face the risk of flooding rainfall through Saturday.
In preparation for the potential flash flooding on Saturday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott deployed emergency crew throughout the state to help small communities.
"While low-lying and poor-drainage areas will be most at risk for flash flooding complications, anyone traveling amidst these storms should be on alert for ponding or flooding on roadways," cautioned AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert.
By Saturday night, as an area of low pressure forms over the Gulf of Mexico and moves northeastward, the adverse weather will follow suit. Warm and moist air flowing northward from the Gulf will help to fuel thunderstorms. Only areas along the far southern Louisiana coast will have a threat for severe thunderstorms very late Saturday night.
From there, the severe threat will expand.
"A deep push of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will combine with a strengthening area of low pressure to set off a multi-day severe threat across the southern United States," stated Gilbert.
On Sunday, as the storm system continues to move northeastward, the warm and moist air will be drawn farther northward. In addition, the storm will be strengthening, which will further aid to the potential for strong-to-severe thunderstorms. New Orleans; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Montgomery, Alabama will be just a few cities at risk for severe thunderstorms on Sunday.
"Any travelers on interstates 10, 65 and 85 will need to monitor for rapidly changing conditions on Sunday," said Gilbert.
The threat will shift eastward Sunday night where residents in Albany, Georgia; Tallahassee, Florida; and Aiken, South Carolina will all need to keep an eye to the sky.
Thunderstorms during the night are sometimes the most dangerous as people are sleeping and may not receive severe weather warnings. Before going to sleep on Sunday night, anyone in southern Georgia, the Florida Panhandle and west-central South Carolina will want to be sure they have a way to get warnings in the middle of the night.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The system will turn northward early next week, likely tracking just to the west of the Appalachians. West of the storm path, heavy snow will unfold. East of the path of the storm, a large area along the East coast will have a risk of severe thunderstorms. Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Wilmington and Raleigh, North Carolina; Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia; Washington, D.C. and New York City will all have a chance of severe weather on Monday.
Throughout the severe weather event, all hazards will be possible.
"The strongest thunderstorms on Sunday and Monday can unleash torrential downpours, damaging wind gusts and even an isolated tornado or two," said Gilbert. "However, the risk for tornadoes will decrease as these storms track farther north into the mid-Atlantic."
Related:
By Tuesday, any thunderstorms should move out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo