Severe storms to target southeastern US into Wednesday

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

May 3,2016; 11:15AM,EDT

 

 

Some communities along the southern Atlantic Seaboard will be hit hard with thunderstorms into the middle of the week.
Into Tuesday evening, locally severe storms will affect areas from southeastern Georgia to southeastern Virginia. The storms will occur along, but will not be limited to, the Interstate-95 corridor.
The greatest risk from the storms will be from damaging wind gusts, large hail and frequent lightning strikes. However, isolated incidents of flash and urban flooding can occur. A couple of the strongest storms could produce a brief tornado as well.

Cities that can be hit by a dangerous thunderstorm include Norfolk, Virginia; Raleigh and Fayetteville, North Carolina; Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina; and Savannah, Georgia.
Farther south, a few big storms will erupt in the northern counties of Florida, and along the sea breeze over the Florida Peninsula.
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Most of the Florida storms will fire up a few miles inland of the Atlantic coast and crawl eastward during the evening hours. While the storms can be locally gusty, the greatest threats to motorists will be blinding downpours and urban flooding.
During Wednesday, while the risk of damaging storms will have ended from Georgia to Virginia, the severe weather threat will focus on the Florida Peninsula, especially over the central and southern counties.
"If and where the sun is out for several hours during Wednesday morning and midday, a dangerous situation could unfold," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski.

"Morning clouds and showers could interfere with severe weather in some of the central counties of the Peninsula," Kottlowski said. "The greatest risk for a severe weather outbreak will be over the southern counties of the Florida Peninsula on Wednesday afternoon and evening."
In addition to the flash flooding threat, some of the storms can bring damaging wind gusts and hail. A number of the strongest storms could produce a tornado or waterspout.
People in the advised areas of the Southeastern states should keep an eye out for rapidly changing weather conditions. Move indoors, away from windows at the first clap of thunder.
Never attempt to drive through flooded areas. Doing so puts not only the driver at risk, but also other occupants and would-be rescuers. The road may have been compromised beneath the water. Only a foot or two of moving water can cause your vehicle to stall, float and sink after being carried away.