Deep South faces more violent thunderstorms, flooding concerns
This Texas A&M class was able to watch a tornado touch down from the Eller Oceanology and Meteorology Building on campus in College Station, Texas on April 24.
After deadly storms tore across Texas and Louisiana with flooding and tornadoes, storms will shift eastward across the Deep South.
Parts of western and northern Texas received upwards of 5 to 6 inches of rain from Tuesday into Tuesday night alone, along with being hit hard by strong winds.
Following the relative lull in the storms Wednesday morning, storms intensified throughout the day.
A Texas A&M class watched a tornado touch down from the Eller Oceanology and Meteorology Building on campus in College Station, Texas, on Wednesday. Damaging tornadoes struck near St. Augustine, Texas, and Ruston, Louisiana, overnight.
The greatest threat for severe weather into Thursday night will extend from southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi to southern Alabama and part of the Florida Panhandle.
Motorists traveling along portions of interstates 10 and 20, as well as on secondary roadways, are also likely to experience major delays and should be sure to turn around if encountering a flooded roadway.
It only takes about a foot of water to float many vehicles, and 2 feet of moving water will sweep most vehicles away.
In addition, many streams and rivers across the Deep South are already in minor to moderate flood stage. This includes virtually the entire length of the Mississippi River.
The additional rain to come through will only exacerbate the ongoing flooding problems and could cause major flooding on some creeks and rivers.
As the storm system picks up its forward speed, rainfall amounts will be somewhat lower than on Wednesday, but can still exceed 2 or 3 inches in the hardest-hit locations.
The most far-reaching impacts into Thursday night will be from strong winds and hail, both of which can destroy crops, cause roof and property damage and injure anybody caught outdoors when the storms roll through.
A couple of isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out as well.
People that lie within the threat zone should monitor the latest severe weather watches and warnings and be sure to move indoors, away from doors and windows, at the first sign of thunder.
When you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.
A few heavy to locally severe thunderstorms may threaten to spoil outdoor plans and knock around loose objects from eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey to portions of the Carolinas, as well as portions of the Florida Peninsula on Friday.
Along with typical gusty winds and torrential downpours, there is also the potential for a couple of tornadoes.
Dry and pleasant weather should then settle over the entire southern United States this weekend as the storm track shifts farther north across the central and northern parts of the nation.
Download the free AccuWeather app to see when severe thunderstorms may threaten your community. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
