Severe storm threat to focus on corridor from Houston to St. Louis Wednesday

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

April 26,2016; 11:55PM,EDT

 

 

The threat of damaging and dangerous thunderstorms will shift farther east on Wednesday and will be centered from the middle Mississippi Valley to the Gulf Coast.
As the storm system responsible for a severe weather and tornado outbreak over the Plains on Tuesday moves eastward, so will the risk to lives and property.
On Wednesday, the threat of violent storms will extend along an approximate 800-mile-long swath from southern Iowa and central Illinois to northeastern Texas and coastal areas of Louisiana and Mississippi.

"While isolated tornadoes are likely this day, the main output from the severe storms will be damaging wind gusts, large hail, frequent lightning strikes and flash flooding," according to AccuWeather Assistant Director of Storm Warning Services Andrew Gagnon.
Major cities in the risk area include St. Louis; Houston; Memphis, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; Little Rock, Arkansas; New Orleans and Shreveport, Louisiana.
"Some of the severe weather will be a carryover from Tuesday night, before new storms erupt farther to the east and south," Gagnon said. "We expect a squall line to develop during the afternoon and evening, but with some gaps."
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Even though tornadoes are likely to be more isolated in nature on Wednesday when compared to Tuesday evening, the severe storms will threaten a more densely populated area.
During the overnight hours on Wednesday, the storms will begin to weaken and become more spotty in nature.
Storms may re-fire over parts of the Southeastern states on Thursday and Friday. Severe weather will tend to be localized and not widespread these days.
Remember safety first with any thunderstorm. Never stand or park under a tree to ride out a storm.
Move indoors and away from windows as storms approach.
If a tornado warning is given for your location, move to the lowest interior room of your home without delay.