The threat of severe weather returns Thursday for parts of the Southeast as rain, thunderstorms and the threat of tornadoes are also expected across the Central and Southern Plains through the weekend.
A Gulf Coast storm system is expected to produce tropical downpours and strong storms again Thursday. The FOX Forecast Center says rain has been off and on with a developing area of low pressure that will slowly linger before moving onshore by Friday.
GULF COAST STORM SYSTEM EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TROPICAL DOWNPOURS, STRONG STORMS AGAIN ON THURSDAY
The storm system is expected to help produce heavy rain along Interstates 10, 75 and 95 on Thursday. Flash Flood Emergencies were issued Wednesday night for parts of Broward County, Florida.
Rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches will be common from New Orleans to Miami with some communities seeing more than 3 inches in the heaviest storms.
Where storms encounter more unstable air, the Storm Prediction Center expects tornadoes, damaging wind and even hail to be possible.
A Tornado Watch has been issued until 2 p.m. EDT Thursday for most of the Florida Panhandle, southeastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia.
VIDEO: SOUTH FLORIDA SEES MORE THAN A FOOT OF RAIN IN JUST HOURS, FLOODING FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT
The SPC has highlighted a zone that runs from Alabama into Georgia and extending southeastward across the eastern Florida Peninsula for having the best chance of seeing storms that could be strong or severe.
There is a Level 3 out of 5 enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms across parts of southern Georgia and extreme southeastern Alabama. The threat for severe weather will diminish along the Gulf Coast on Friday as the center of circulation pushes into the Carolinas.
There’s a potential for a few severe storms Friday across parts of the Southern Plains as a dryline stretches across Kansas down into Texas.
The FOX Forecast Center said substantial gulf moisture return will lead to an environment capable of supercells east of the dryline, which could contain large hail, damaging winds and a threat for tornadoes.
“This is a classic spring setup,” FOX Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “We have that front that’s moving in from the West. It’s going to collide with this record-breaking heat that’s been setting up for the whole week.”
Storms are likely to peak during the evening hours on Friday. By late Friday, an eastward advancing cold front will overtake the dryline and become the focal point for severe storms.
Severe potential will continue into Saturday, with storms expected in parts of the Middle Mississippi Valley.
The FOX Forecast Center said these storms will be capable of tornadoes, golf ball-size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.
This system will reach the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic on Sunday, with thunderstorms expected.