Kentucky and Tennessee See the Potential for Severe Weather

A cold front pushing unusually far south for this time of year into the Deep South and the southern Mississippi Valley will be the focal point of strong to severe thunderstorms today. Heavy rain will also be associated in and around this feature. 

This cold front will slam into a very warm airmass full of tropical moisture found over the Southeast. This clash of air masses will help strong to severe thunderstorms develop along and just ahead of the cold front. Strong wind gusts of up to 60 mph will be the biggest threat in these thunderstorms. 

The government's Storm Prediction Center has issued a Slight Risk (level 2 out of 5) for the Cumberland Plateau region of Tennessee and Kentucky as well as a small section of northeastern Mississippi and extreme northwest Georgia as well as the Cincinnati area. Cities under this risk include Lexington, KY., Huntsville, Ala., Chattanooga, Tenn., and Decatur, Ala. and Cincinnati. 

Flooding will also be a concern near the cold front with locally heavy rain falling across parts of the Deep South, Southeast and Mississippi Valley, especially from southern Minnesota southward into eastern Missouri and western Illinois. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan could also be an area that sees heavy rainfall. Rain amounts of 1 to 3 inches will be common in these regions, with local amounts up to 4 to 5 inches possible. This much rain in a relatively short amount of time could lead to localized flooding, especially in urban areas. If a roadway is flooded, remember to "Turn Around, Don't Drown!"

Be sure to know the difference between a watch and a warning. A watch means that the conditions are in place to possibly produce severe weather conditions, while a warning indicates that those conditions are currently occurring. Be sure to have multiple ways to receive warnings as storms will be occurring late tonight. Also, take caution if you are outdoors during a thunderstorm. Remember, “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!”