Southeastern US to face increase in showers, thunderstorms this week

While the southeastern U.S. is no stranger to humid, stormy conditions, widespread wet weather will be more disruptive than usual this week.

Afternoon storms in the Southeast are typically spotty and slow-moving, dropping up to a couple inches of rain in relatively small areas. However, some change is on the horizon.

"A front drifting through the Southeast will be able to tap into the abundant moisture across the region, fueling occasional showers and thunderstorms into the middle of the week," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Maura Kelly.

This pattern could lead to a washout for many places, where clouds will never quite clear out and frequent rain and lightning will hinder outdoor events.

Through Wednesday, rounds of rain and thunderstorms are in store for the Deep South. Any storm could drop 1-3 inches of rain, with locally as much as 4 or 5 inches possible.

"The heaviest storms look to occur on Wednesday as the front moves through the region," Kelly said.

On Wednesday, the heaviest rain will hone in on southern portions of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Residents and tourists in areas from the Outer Banks of North Carolina through the Florida Panhandle and New Orleans can expect to be kept away from the beach at midweek.

"Flooding will become a concern in areas that see multiple rounds of precipitation over the next couple of days," Kelly warned. Motorists should avoid attempting to traverse any flooded roadways. It is impossible to tell the depth of the water, and the road underneath may be compromised.

Anyone spending time outdoors during stretches of dry weather should head inside at the first sign of threatening weather - remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

"The strongest storms can also bring damaging wind gusts," Kelly said.

As this front moves offshore by the end of the week, drier and less hot conditions will overspread the region. Much of the Midwest and Tennessee Valley will then experience their first day with widespread below-average temperatures since June.

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