Severe storms with damaging winds, flash flooding to race across southern US

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

May 2,2017, 9:15:55PM,EDT

 

 A new round of dangerous thunderstorms spanning Wednesday and Thursday will focus on the southern United States.

Storms from late Wednesday through Thursday have the potential to be more robust and widespread across the Deep South.

"The greatest threats from the storms from Wednesday through Thursday will be for damaging wind gusts and flash flooding," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity.
As is usually the case, the severe storms will generate frequent lightning strikes. A small number of the storms can also produce large hail and an isolated tornado.
"Despite the isolated tornado risk, we do not expect a significant outbreak of tornadoes with this episode," Margusity said.
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Even with the lower tornado risk, there will be a risk to lives and property.
From late Wednesday to Wednesday night, the risk of severe storms will focus from central and southeastern Texas to southern Arkansas, Louisiana, central and southern Mississippi and the Alabama Panhandle.
Sporadic power outages are possible, due to falling trees and tree limbs in some communities.
People should move indoors and away from windows as storms approach.
People along the Interstate 10 and 20 corridors should be prepared for travel delays.
Motorists are likely to encounter torrential downpours that can not only cause a sudden drop in visibility but also lead to poor drainage area flooding.
Never attempt to drive through a flooded roadway. Motorists should put on their headlights and reduce their speed during episodes of brief, heavy rain. If the rain is too heavy to proceed safely, pull off the road well out of the lanes of traffic.
Airline delays are likely at major hubs as the storms move through from Houston on Wednesday to New Orleans on Wednesday night.
Delays are possible at Atlanta International Airport on Thursday, when the risk of heavy to locally severe storms will extend from Florida to South Carolina.

"The storms have the potential to bring soaking rain to drought-stricken and wildfire-threatened areas of Florida to end the week," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson.
Some locally drenching, gusty storms may also sweep northeastward along the Carolina coast during Thursday night and the mid-Atlantic coast and into southeastern New England on Friday.
Should there be enough daytime heating along the Atlantic coast, the storms could pack more of a punch in terms of severe weather and potential damage.