Storm crawling through Southeast will raise the risk for flooding, damaging thunderstorms
Heavy rain and storms will continue into the start of the new week across the Southeast, thanks to a moisture-packed storm that will also bring a risk for gusty winds and isolated tornadoes.
A waterspout was spotted on Pensacola Beach, Florida, when it traveled onto land and became a tornado, damaging buildings.
Outdoor plans may have to be moved indoors, as a slow-moving storm will bring soaking rainfall and locally gusty thunderstorms to the region over the next few days, warn AccuWeather meteorologists.
The flow around the storm will result in a nearly continuous pull of moisture-rich air off the Gulf, heightening the risk of flooding from repeated downpours. While the rain is needed for some, it could be too much of a good thing, too quickly, as rain gauges can top 8 inches in spots by early in the new week.
"Traveling to and from mom’s house could be slowed greatly by downpours," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski. "That heavy rain can reduce visibility and lead to ponding on highways such as Interstates 10 and 20."
Two months' worth of rain coming in two days
In the wake of bringing heavy rain and flooding across the lower Mississippi Valley last week, downpours in association with the storm were spreading across the Southeast over the weekend. AccuWeather forecasters say it will not let up anytime soon.
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After soaking the Gulf Coast states on Mother's Day, the rain and thunderstorms will spread north into more of the Tennessee Valley, the Carolinas, Appalachians and mid-Atlantic through the early part of the week. In some areas, rain can fall at a rate of more than an inch per hour, overwhelming storm drains.
Portions of nearly a dozen states, from Louisiana to Florida and north to Virginia and West Virginia, were forecast by AccuWeather to measure at least 2 inches of rain from the storm. The area most at risk for multiple inches of rain will be closer to the source of moisture, from northern Florida into far southeastern Alabama and southern Georgia, where the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 10 inches can occur.
In a typical May, 3 to 4 inches of rain will fall across much of the Southeast, but this storm has the potential to drop double that amount in two days' time or less, heightening the risk of flooding on streets, highways, poor drainage areas and along some streams and creeks.
Despite unfortunately impacting sporting, outdoor activities and construction projects early this week, the rain is much-needed for some. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, released on Thursday, much of the Florida panhandle north to the eastern Carolinas and Appalachians were experiencing moderate drought conditions or worse.
Flooding of a different variety can also occur as the storm moves north along the Eastern Seaboard through Tuesday, thanks to a flow off the Atlantic and a favorable moon phase. Coastal flooding around times of high tide can occur, impacting vulnerable spots along the coast, including Charleston, South Carolina.
Thunderstorms can turn severe, as well
It's not just flooding rain that can occur in the Southeast this week, but a few localized damaging thunderstorms, as well, warn AccuWeather severe weather experts. Ingredients including plentiful moisture, atmospheric energy and cooler air in the upper atmosphere will come together to heighten this risk.
"Heavy rain will not be the only hazard realized from some of the storms," said Pydynowski. "A few of them can also contain isolated damaging wind gusts and hailstones."
After spawning waterspouts and tornadoes, as well as bringing gusty winds to the Florida panhandle on Saturday, thunderstorms and heavy rain expanded in coverage on Mother's Day, encompassing areas from Mississippi to southern North Carolina.
By Monday, millions more to the north around Metro Atlanta, and south around Orlando and Tampa, Florida, will be at risk for strong storms. While flooding downpours will remain the primary concern in any storm, an isolated or tornado or two cannot be ruled out.
Drier, quieter weather will finally return to much of the Southeast by the middle of the week, beginning Wednesday in some areas, also accompanied by an increase in temperature as the heat that had been roasting portions of the West and nation's midsection builds east.
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