HOUSTON – A December storm is bringing a round of weather bingo across the U.S. this weekend. For the South, the wide-ranging storm system will bring the threat of severe thunderstorms, including large hail, straight-line winds and a possible isolated tornado.
“Storms that go across the U.S. are wild in December because they dish everything: severe weather, heavy rain and then snow,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “So it all comes down to location, location, location. Where are you spending your weekend? Because we’re in for a wild ride.”
More than 23 million people across the South, from east Texas to Tennessee, are facing the threat of severe weather this weekend.
A few severe thunderstorms are possible Friday night across parts of the Ark-La-Tex region and near the Ozarks, fueled by moisture from off the Gulf of Mexico.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms beginning late Friday night from northeast Texas, southeast Oklahoma and into central Arkansas.
The primary weather threat on Friday will be large hail for areas including Texarkana, Little Rock and Shreveport.
“We’re expecting scattered thunderstorms, but a few of them could pulse higher than that, meaning that they could produce some large hailstones,” Merwin said.
As the moisture builds and strong wind shear develops, there is a substantial threat for severe thunderstorm development on Saturday.
Widespread thunderstorms will move across parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee on Saturday afternoon and into the evening hours. Areas including Houston, Memphis, Shreveport, Little Rock and Jackson are included under the severe weather threat.
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NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms for east Texas, central and northern Louisiana, southeast Arkansas and west Mississippi.
On Saturday, the primary concerns are the potential for tornadoes, along with damaging winds and large hail.
“We can’t rule out the fact that an isolated quick spin-up could occur, especially if the timing works out here,” Merwin said. “Working to Saturday night, we’re still looking at parts of Arkansas and Mississippi, possibly continuing with the severe risk as we go throughout the overnight hours.”
By Sunday, the rain and thunderstorms will be the big weather story across the South and much of the eastern U.S. Areas in east Tennessee, far northeast Georgia and the western Carolinas could see up to 3 inches of rainfall by Monday.
The FOX Forecast Center said the threat of some severe weather will still exist by Sunday as the system shifts farther east.
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Continued rain will build the flooding potential throughout the weekend, with a possible flash flooding threat from the Gulf Coast states into the Tennessee Valley.
For those traveling by air this weekend, check your flights before heading to the airport.
December storms, especially with strong winds, have the potential to disrupt travel during an already busy month.