Strong Storms in the Deep South into Saturday

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

December 28, 2012; 6:16PM,EST

Thunderstorms over the Deep South will be strong to locally severe into Saturday, especially along the Gulf Coast.
A storm system is moving eastward over the interior South. While the storm system itself is rather weak, enough warmth and humidity will be pulled in from the Gulf to bring a line of gusty, drenching thunderstorms with isolated severe weather.
The risk area extends from Louisiana during the middle of the day Friday to the Florida Panhandle and the southern parts of Alabama and Georgia Friday evening.

The risk is greatest along the I-10 corridor but at times can reach as far inland as the I-20 corridor. (Photos.com image)

The greatest potential risk with the storms is strong wind gusts, which can reach 60 mph in a few locations. However, blinding downpours and the risk of urban flooding are also of concern.

In a couple of isolated incidents, a brief tornado can also be produced. However, a major outbreak of tornadoes is not expected.
As the storms pass near area airports, flights may be delayed for a time.
Cities in the path of the storms include Baton Rouge and New Orleans, La.; Jackson and Gulfport, Miss.; Montgomery and Mobile, Ala.; Pensacola and Tallahassee, Fla.; and Albany and Valdosta, Ga.
Much cooler air will sweep into the region from west to east, ending the threat of strong storms spanning Friday afternoon into Friday night.

During Saturday, locally strong thunderstorms will push southeastward across the Florida Peninsula and will mark the end of record warmth building over the region to end the week. The storms can affect areas from Jacksonville and Gainesville to Tampa, Orlando, The Villages and Melbourne.