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Dangerous Storm Outbreak Eyes Deep South, Tenn. Valley

February 23, 2019
UPDATED By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Fred Allen
A potentially destructive severe weather outbreak will shift eastward across the Deep South, Gulf Coast and Tennessee Valley this evening into tonight. Damaging winds, large, destructive hail, and even a few intense tornadoes are possible.

Tornado Watches extend from the east-central part of Louisiana to central Tennessee and central and much of northern Alabama, including Meridian, Tupelo, and Columbus, Miss., Jackson, Memphis, and Nashville, Tenn., and Huntsville, Birmingham, and Tuscaloosa, Ala.

A quickly strengthening storm will accelerate from eastern Kansas to the western Great Lakes by early on Sunday morning. The storm’s attached cold front, dividing warm and moisture-laden air ahead of it, from much colder, drier air in its wake, will be the perfect recipe to support additional robust thunderstorms well into tonight.

The greatest severe weather danger zone will be found from central Mississippi to western and central Tennessee. Cities like Columbus to Tupelo, Miss., northeast to Jackson and Nashville, Tenn., will be at risk for a storm encounter packing destructive wind gusts peaking at 65 to 75 mph, hail larger than golf balls, and tornadoes, a few which could be quite intense.

Other cities from Jackson, Miss., to Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Huntsville, Ala., could see individual severe thunderstorm development then followed by a line of robust thunderstorms ahead of the cold front this evening and tonight. Here, damaging winds reaching 60 to 70 mph, hail up to golf balls, and a couple of brief tornadoes will be possible too.

Severe weather isn’t the only hazard this storm will pose from the Deep South to along the southern part of the Appalachian Spine either. A quick 1 to 3 inches of rain will fall and mixed in with already saturated soil from a recent active storm track, will lead to escalating urban and low-lying flooding problems. Add in severe weather, and storm debris could lead to clogged storm drains. Numerous Flash Flood Watches, Flood Watches, Flash Flood Warnings, and Flood Warnings are in place from the Mississippi River in Arkansas and northeastern Louisiana to the western Carolinas. If you come across a roadway covered in water, make sure to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”

So far today, less than a handful of severe weather reports have been recorded. That said, quarter-size hail was reported in Willard, Mo., and Rankin, Miss., earlier today, while a thunderstorm gust damaged a fence and threw small objects about near Peculiar, Mo. This storm is also heading for the same area that got clocked with damaging winds and weak tornadoes just two weeks ago in early February.

If you have any outdoor plans this weekend be sure to pay attention to the local weather forecasts and keep a close watch on the sky. Remember, lightning is one of the most lethal parts of a storm system and can strike even when the storm is off in the distance. “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors.”