A storm system that impacted the Pacific Northwest and California with valley rain and mountain snow has its sights set on the Southeast, with heavy rainfall expected over the weekend.
Forecast models show heavy precipitation starting Friday over the Lone Star State and heading eastward during the weekend.
“Saturday, it dives into the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. And then by Sunday, that’s when it gets towards the Gulf Coast, the I-10 corridor. And you’ll notice it continues to drift south, and it’s not going to ramp up the East Coast,” said FOX Weather Meteorologist Steve Bender.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center has highlighted parts of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi for being at an increased risk for excessive rainfall and flooding.
Included in the increased flood threat are Baton Rouge and New Orleans, where month-long Mardi Gras celebrations are already underway.
BLOWTORCH WEATHER TO CONTINUE DURING FINAL FULL MONTH OF WINTER, NOAA SAYS
Forecast models show a widespread 1-2″ of rainfall across the South with some communities seeing potentially upwards of 3-4.”
Because of the chance of heavy precipitation, some counties in Mississippi have already been put under a Flash Flood Watch.
More than a dozen river gauges across the Lower Mississippi River Valley are already in flood stage courtesy of January’s heavy rainfall.
Several storm systems have traveled over the region during the last three weeks, which have dropped between 1-2 feet of rainfall.
The beneficial rains have cut down on areas suffering from extreme and exceptional drought conditions by more than half, but 88% of Louisiana and 84% of Mississippi are still unusually dry.
In addition to the rain, isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible, but most of the precipitation will remain below severe weather criteria.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, hail and gusty winds could accompany the strongest of the storms.
The FOX Forecast Center expected the best chances of storms to happen on Friday evening, with lesser probabilities on Saturday and through the weekend.
By Tuesday morning, the entire storm system is expected to be off the East Coast, but with an active southern jet during an El Niño pattern, more chances of precipitation are expected to impact the Gulf Coast.
NORTHEAST, MIDWEST TO SEE SUNNY WEEKEND AFTER WEEK OF RELENTLESS GLOOM