Severe storms, tornadoes to rip across Mississippi Valley Tuesday

By Jordan Root, Meteorologist

February 1,2016; 9:53PM,EST

 

 

A severe weather outbreak, including the threat for tornadoes, will erupt across the Mississippi Valley and Deep South on Tuesday.
The threat for thunderstorms will unfold on Tuesday with the potential for some of them to turn severe in several states from southern Illinois and Indiana to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
The strongest thunderstorms will have the potential to spin up a few tornadoes as well as damaging wind gusts in excess of 60 mph that could topple trees and bring down power lines. Power outages are also possible.

Individuals and families should have a plan of action in place ahead of the storms. Make sure batteries are charged and flashlights are in working order.
"Severe thunderstorms will ramp up in the afternoon after the atmosphere has time to warm and become prime for severe weather development," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.

"The area at greatest risk for the outbreak of severe weather lies between Little Rock, Arkansas, and Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday afternoon and early evening," Pydynowski said. "This includes Jackson, Mississippi, and Memphis."
A strong to severe thunderstorm could also erupt around Little Rock midday Tuesday and may threaten places northward to St. Louis and southward to New Orleans.
The main threat will likely come with a squall line which will sweep across the area packing damaging winds and a burst of very heavy rainfall. There may be quick spin-ups of tornadoes within this line of thunderstorms.
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The burst of rain in a short amount of time could lead to some street flooding. Those traveling on interstates 10, 20, 40, 55, 59 will face blinding downpours.
The line of storms will push eastward through Tuesday night, turning into a mainly damaging wind threat, although an isolated tornado shouldn't be ruled out. Louisville, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama; and Mobile, Alabama will be in the path during this time for these storms.
While the risk of violent storms will be less along the Atlantic Seaboard on Wednesday, there will still be a threat for flooding downpours and strong wind gusts with storms across the Southeast. Very localized severe thunderstorms are possible from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Tampa, Florida.

Despite the absence of thunderstorms in the central and northern Appalachians and the coastal Northeast, strong wind gusts can occur in the absence of thunderstorms. Loose items will be blown around and sporadic power outages are possible.
While this storm spawns severe weather in some states, it will also be responsible for bringing a blizzard to others on the northern and western side of it. This storm system will be responsible for sending an extended period of cold air into much of the northern and eastern United States for the end of the week and weekend.