Southern US once again facing a substantial flood risk
Tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is set to stream into the United States through mid-September, and AccuWeather meteorologists say the same areas that have been inundated with heavy rainfall over the past few weeks should prepare for more flooding.
Wet weather is forecast for the southern U.S. through this weekend, and the unsettled conditions could spill over into next week as well.
"Rounds of showers and thunderstorms are set to hit the Southeast for several days in a row, bringing with them the risk for flooding," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff.
A storm lingering along the Gulf Coast will be partially to blame for the repeated rounds of wet weather. AccuWeather meteorologists have been talking about this coastal storm for days and monitoring it for the potential for tropical development. However, the coastal storm is only expected to be over the warm, Gulf waters for about 48 hours, which is too short a time to make this scenario likely.
Instead, this storm is set to pull tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico northward, helping to enhance any developing thunderstorms and bring heavier-than-normal downpours.
"It's not out of the question that some of these thunderstorms could bring localized rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches in an hour," warned Duff.
With heavy rainfall in the forecast for several days, flooding concerns could mount by the weekend.
Widespread rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches of rain are expected from southern Florida and the Louisiana Gulf Coast to areas as far north as southern Pennsylvania.
More than 4 inches of rain is forecast across portions of northern Florida, Georgia and coastal South Carolina, as well as the mountainous regions of North Carolina. In some parts of these regions, an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 10 inches of rain will be possible.
The heavy downpours could cause water levels on rivers and streams to rise, and travel could be impacted. Meteorologists say motorists should be on alert for heavy downpours that could cause reduced visibility as well as ponding on roadways that could bring the risks of hydroplaning. In some cases, floodwaters could even wash away chunks of the roadway.
Those with outdoor activities throughout the weekend should also keep an eye on the weather. Football games from the high school level to the professional level could be impacted by downpours through Sunday.
"Many communities across the South are very sensitive to more rain, based on recent flooding events," explained Duff.
The Southeast has been an area inundated with rain in recent weeks. Some locations were hit hardest over the first week of September, while others were pummeled with impactful rain at the end of August.
Panama City, Florida, reported 1.62 inches of rainfall in the first week of September, following more than 1.5 inches of rain in the final week of August. Farther north, Greenville, South Carolina, recorded 1.53 inches of rain in the first seven days of September, following more than 2.5 inches of rain in the last week of August.
Some other places across the southern U.S. were very wet at the end of August. The Jackson, Mississippi, area was one such location that was inundated with more than 10 inches of rain in less than four days, prompting flash flood emergencies and numerous evacuations. This same storm brought over 8 inches of rain to Shreveport, Louisiana, and record-breaking rainfall amounts in the Dallas area. AccuWeather meteorologists say these areas are forecast to mostly miss out on the heaviest rain later this week.
A car sits in floodwaters covering a closed highway in Dallas, Monday, Aug. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
The doses of heavy rain over the past few weeks have prevented drought conditions from worsening in the region. The latest drought update on Sept. 1 from the U.S. Drought Monitor, indicated that drought conditions were present across portions of eastern Texas and Louisiana, but conditions there were improved from a month ago.
It's not uncommon for the southeastern United States to be hit with heavy rain in the month of September, forecasters say. Tropical moisture is often at its height during this month as the statistical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season falls on Sept. 10.
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