Severe weather poised to threaten southern US immediately after Christmas
The threat for severe weather is expected to ramp up from Texas to the lower Mississippi Valley Wednesday into Thursday.
Isolated tornadoes are among the dangers that residents and holiday visitors may face in the days immediately following Christmas.
As a snowstorm begins to create travel nightmares across the north-central United States, this post-Christmas severe weather event may commence across west-central Texas on Wednesday, mainly in the afternoon, before targeting the lower Mississippi Valley on Thursday.
Cities in the path of the thunderstorms threatening Texas on Wednesday and Wednesday night include Wichita Falls, Abilene, San Angelo, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Tyler. The severe risk may extend northward into part of southern Oklahoma.
In addition to the isolated tornadoes, the strongest thunderstorms will be capable of producing damaging winds, flooding downpours and hail.
Drenching and gusty thunderstorms may target southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana late Wednesday into Wednesday night.
The main line of violent thunderstorms and greatest risk for damaging winds is anticipated to pass over Houston and Galveston, Texas, and Lake Charles, Louisiana, late Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller is urging residents and holiday visitors in the area to remain especially vigilant to severe weather notifications.
"There may be an added danger, as the tornadoes can be obscured by rain or the earlier December nightfall," he said.
Download the free AccuWeather app and enable audible alerts on your cell phone to receive severe weather bulletins. For those visiting the area, now is the time to review where to seek shelter should a tornado or flooding rain strike.
Even in the absence of severe weather and flooding, travelers should prepare for flight delays and hazards on area roadways. This includes stretches of interstates 10, 20, 35 and 37.
Downpours and spray from other vehicles can dramatically reduce visibility and heighten the risk of vehicles hydroplaning when traveling at highway speeds.
The threat for heavy rain and localized flooding may not be confined to the severe weather risk zone. Soaking rain is expected northward across the central Plains and to the southern fringe of the snow/wintry mix zone on Wednesday.
As the rain (accompanied by gusty winds) shifts to the lower Midwest states, the severe weather threat may focus on the lower Mississippi Valley on Thursday.
Cities at risk on Thursday include New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Gulfport, Jackson and Tupelo, Mississippi; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Memphis, Tennessee. The danger may also expand eastward into Alabama and target Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile.
"The greatest risks with the strongest thunderstorms on Thursday can be heavy rain and damaging winds," said Miller, "but residents should remain vigilant for an isolated tornado."
The rain can be heavy enough to trigger flooding in urban and poor-drainage areas, as well as along small streams. Poor traveling conditions may transpire on interstates 10, 20, 22, 40, 55 and 59 for a time.
"We are also monitoring the potential for a separate area of locally severe thunderstorms to erupt from north of Springfield, Missouri, to near Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio. "If all the key ingredients come into place, there is a risk for a tornado or two in this zone."
In the wake of the severe weather, additional rain can keep dampening the Southeast for the final weekend of 2018. The risk for pockets of heavy rain threatening to trigger new flooding is being monitored.
