Rounds of Rain to Soak Gulf Coast, Tennessee Valley This Week

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

March 10,2015; 8:41PM,EDT

 

 

Rounds of rain will spread across the Gulf Coast and the Tennessee and Ohio valleys this week, heightening flood concerns for some, but providing drought relief for others.
One batch of rain affected areas from Texas to the Ohio Valley spanning Monday into Tuesday. This rain will exit off the coast of the Northeast but linger in the South on Wednesday.

"Motorists are urged to avoid areas of high water and to find alternative route in their travels if they do come across high water," stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Jordan Root.
Even if flooding does not ensue, the downpours will pose hazards for motorists by reducing visibility and raising the danger of vehicles hydroplaning at highway speeds. Airline passengers should prepare for flight delays.
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Flooding downpours will tend to wane as the rain expands northeastward. However, the combination of the rain, melting snow and already saturated ground could renew flooding issues around West Virginia and Kentucky.

Travel slowdowns and disruptions to those wishing to enjoy the milder air outdoors will still occur in New Orleans, Nashville, Charleston, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Periods of rain will continue to stream into the lower Mississippi Valley on Wednesday as a new storm takes shape in the Gulf of Mexico.
This storm will bypass much of Texas, but will spread its rain across the South and to the Tennessee and Ohio valleys later in the week as thunderstorms rumble along the Gulf Coast.

A new round of disruptions to travel and outdoor plans will accompany the storm. The threat for flooding downpours will have to be monitored, as will the prospect of flooding rain, ice and snow in the Northeast late Friday through this weekend.
Despite the disadvantages of the rounds of rain this week, the wet weather will be welcome by the parts of Texas, Arkansas and central Gulf Coast that are currently experiencing a drought.
Last Thursday's update from the U.S. Drought Monitor reported that the zone from east of Lake Charles, Louisiana, to New Orleans to Pensacola, Florida, was suffering from a moderate drought.
While the heaviest rain earlier this week will bypass the communities of Texas that are experiencing the worst drought conditions, the rain will prove beneficial in the corridor from San Antonio to Victoria.