Rain, Storms to Dampen First Weekend of Spring in South

By Brian Lada, Meteorologist

March 20,2015; 9:03PM,EDT

 

Rain and thunderstorms will be the theme across the Deep South this weekend, making for a wet start to spring.
People that are planning to spend part of the weekend in the outdoors should plan accordingly by taking along a raincoat, rain boots, an umbrella or a poncho.
Those dealing with allergies across the South could find this rain to bring a temporary relief as the wet weather helps to lower the pollen count, lessening symptoms that people may experience with allergies.
This rain will bring more than just disruptions to travel and outdoor festivities, it will also bring the threat of flooding.
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Saturday morning looks to be the best time to be in the outdoors from New Orleans to Tallahassee, Florida, before rain moves in and lasts through the balance of the weekend.
The corridor of heavy rain is expected to stretch across a zone north of these cities, reaching from around Houston, Texas, through Jackson, Mississippi, and continuing eastward towards Atlanta.

Some locations in this zone could see upwards of 3 inches of rain by the end of the weekend, causing rivers to swell but also helping relieve some of the drought conditions.
"The rain will come as good news due to the extreme and exceptional drought that continues to grip portions of Texas and the southern Plains," said AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Jordan Root.
Unfortunately, the steadiest rain looks to miss out on areas of northern Texas and Oklahoma that are feeling the worst impacts from the drought in the Plains.
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Despite the benefits that the rain will bring with regard to the drought, it will bring some dangers to the region.
Flooding may turn into a major concern in areas that receive several inches of rain this weekend. This includes portion of the I-10, I-20 and I-25 corridors.
"Rivers are on the rise across eastern Texas and the lower Mississippi Valley due to high water upstream across the Ohio Valley from recent snow melting and rainstorms," said Root.
Root continued by saying, "additional rain into the weekend will only escalate water levels even further. Those in typical flood-prone areas should remain vigilant and respond quickly if evacuation orders are given."

Thunderstorms embedded in the rain could also become problematic.
Where severe thunderstorms are not expected to become widespread, some storms may produce damaging wind gusts and cloud to ground lightning.

Dry weather is forecast to return to much of the Deep South by the start of next week, although a few showers and thunderstorms may still linger around Georgia and Florida.
Mild weather will accompany the drier conditions with high temperatures ranging from the upper 60s to the lower 80s.
This dry and mild air will allow the pollen count in the air to rise once again, affecting those who have springtime allergies.