HOUSTON – It looks as though March could indeed come in like a lion as the first full week of the month is shaping up to be an active one, as a parade of storms brings the risk of severe weather and flooding to millions of people across the eastern half of the U.S. that could lead to some travel troubles on interstates as well as some of the nation’s busiest airports.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed nearly 50 million people from cities such as Houston and New Orleans on the Gulf Coast to St. Louis and Chicago in the Midwest in a Level 1 out of 5 on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale on Monday.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APP
The SPC says large hail and strong wind gusts will be the main threats from any thunderstorms that develop during the day and into the evening hours on Monday.
WATCH VS. WARNING: HERE ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE WEATHER TERMS THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE
The severe thunderstorm risk will be contained to the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, with cities from Houston to Jackson and Hattiesburg in Mississippi in a Level 1 out of 5. Damaging wind gusts and large hail will again be the main threats from storms that develop there on Tuesday.
WHY DOES THE SKY SOMETIMES TURN GREEN DURING THUNDERSTORMS?
Flash flooding will also be a concern in the South and Southeast through Wednesday as precipitation moves through the areas.
East Texas, including Houston, will see a higher flood risk on Monday, while areas of southwestern Arkansas, including Little Rock, will also see a higher threat of flash flooding.
By Tuesday and Wednesday, the flash flood risk will shift to the east and include cities from New Orleans through Mobile and Montgomery in Alabama, as well as Atlanta and Valdosta in Georgia. Heavy rain is also possible in the Florida Panhandle, with Tallahassee also seeing the risk of flash flooding.
EXPLAINING FLOOD ALERTS ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
The highest rain totals through the middle of the week are expected to fall across areas of the Gulf Coast, especially in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, which would see widespread totals of 2-3 inches with locally higher amounts of 3-5 inches in southern Louisiana.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE REVAMPS FLOOD ALERTS
Rain chances then move to the mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England by the middle of the week.
The WPC has placed millions of people along the Interstate 95 corridor from Washington, D.C, through Philadelphia, New York City, New Haven in Connecticut, Providence in Rhode Island and Boston in a Level 1 out of 4 flood risk due to heavy precipitation.
HOW HEAVY IS IT REALLY GOING TO RAIN?