By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist
April 10,2015; 10:50AM,EDT
The threat of severe weather will shift eastward from New Jersey to the Gulf Coast to close out the week following several day of severe storms in the Plains.
Farther south, warm air is already in place and will contribute to thunderstorm strength.
According to AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Becky Elliott, "While the tornado threat is low, the storms could produce wind gusts to 55 mph and small hail."
The overall intensity of the storms will be significantly less when compared to the storms over the Central states on Wednesday and Thursday. However, storms at the local level could become severe.
A few communities could be hit with much stronger wind gusts and large hail. Frequent lightning strikes will pose a threat to those outdoors.
For some locations in the South and mid-Atlantic, the setup could produce the first heavy duty thunderstorm of the season. Persistent chilly air in the Northeast and limited days with high humidity in the South have greatly reduced the number of thunderstorms thus far.
"We don't expect discrete supercell thunderstorms, which would be capable of producing strong tornadoes on Friday, but a squall line can bring a sudden downpour and strong gusty winds as it moves through," Elliott said.
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When a thunderstorm becomes severe, there is a slight chance it can produce a short-lived tornado.
Winds could be strong enough to cause minor property damage, down tree limbs and cause sporadic power outages. Loose items in yards or on decks could be tossed about.
As the storms roll through major metro areas and airports, they will bring the potential for travel disruptions. The heavy and locally severe storms can affect Norfolk, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Atlanta; Columbia, South Carolina; Montgomery, Alabama; Jackson, Mississippi; New Orleans and Houston.
The extent of severe weather in the swath from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore to Philadelphia and New York City will depend on how quickly the cool air is eroded on Friday. If warm air surges in quickly, the risk of severe weather will be greater. If cool air holds on this upper mid-Atlantic swath may only receive drenching downpours with some lightning and thunder.
In the Houston area, the greatest threat from the storms is for flash flooding. However, a small number of storms could bring strong wind gusts in central and southern Texas to the upper Texas coast.
The risk of locally severe storms includes Augusta, Georgia, on Friday, where the 2015 Masters Golf Tournament is taking place.
A handful of heavy storms can erupt farther to the southwest in Texas and from northern New Jersey into New England as well on Friday afternoon and evening.
Brief urban flooding can occur with blinding downpours. Airline passengers may have to contend with delays and some flights may re-routed until the storms pass through airport locations.
Remember never to drive through flooded roadways as a mere foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle downstream. The road could be washed out beneath the water.
Keep an eye out for changing sky conditions if outdoors. Developing thunderstorms can begin to produce lightning with no notice. Seek shelter indoors and away from windows as storms approach and if any warnings are issued.
The approach of the storms will bring a brief spike in warmth in much of the Northeast and mark an end to the buildup of heat and humidity in part of the South in their wake.
The cool front forecast to produce the storms will be moving along at a swift pace across the interior South and the Northeast, setting the stage for a dry and mild spring weekend.
The front's forward speed will decrease near the Gulf Coast, which will cause the threat showers and thunderstorms to continue into the weekend.
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