Flooding Rain and Severe Thunderstorms Cross the South

weather.com meteorologists
Published: January 2,2017
Strong to severe thunderstorms produced a long swath of damaging wind gusts, large hail and a tornadoes across the South on Monday, and a few could continue into early Tuesday.
Five people lost their lives on Monday. Four people died near Dothan, Alabama in severe storms that likely produced a tornado. One additional death occurred in Florida due to flooding.

A likely tornado moved through Rehobeth, Alabama near Dothan and killed 4 people on January 2nd.

(NEWS: Five Dead in Alabama, Florida due to Severe Storms)

Current Radar, Watches and Warnings.

(MORE: View National Interactive Radar Map | Difference Between a Watch and a Warning)
Moisture returning north from the Gulf of Mexico in combination with a vigorous upper-level disturbance and strengthening low-pressure system are the ingredients involved in this severe weather threat. Heavy rain will also accompany the storms, which will benefit the drought conditions but could also cause some localized flooding.
Below is a look at the timing of this severe storm threat.

Severe Thunderstorm Forecast

• Into Tuesday Morning: Severe storms are possible from the Florida panhandle to southeastern Georgia. The intensity and severity of these storms will wane toward daybreak. 
• Threats: Damaging wind gusts and flooding are the main concerns, but a few tornadoes are also possible in southeastern Georgia before sunrise. 

Additional Rainfall Forecast

Portions of Georgia and Florida can expect to see 1-2 inches of rainfall through early Tuesday.

Rainfall Forecast

Of course, there can be too much of a good thing. Parts of the northern Gulf Coast saw 4-10 inches of rain over the weekend, and additional heavy rain through Monday night could raise the risk of flooding. Flood watches are posted from the northern Gulf Coast into central Georgia.
Significant flooding was reported in Jackson, Alabama on Monday afternoon. A rare flash flood emergency was issued by emergency management due to excessive flooding and water rescues in the area.
Some road closures were reported due to flooding late Sunday in northwest Florida and southern Alabama.

Current Flood Watches and Warnings

(MAPS: Weekly Planner)

Storm Reports

Severe storms began in Texas and pushed all the way into eastern Georgia on January 1-2, 2017.

Storm reports on January 2, 2017.

Early Monday morning, the storms produced a wind gust of 82 mph in Hamilton, Texas, while Waco, Texas, recorded a gust to 66 mph. Strong thunderstorm winds reportedly blew the roof off a building in Cottonwood, Texas.
In Lecompte, Louisiana, several homes were damaged due to a possible tornado, according to a report sent to the National Weather Service.
Rainfall 
Florida: 5.95 inches in New Harmony (January 1)
Alabama: 8.60 inches near Leroy (January 2)
MORE: Southern Severe Weather, November 2016 (PHOTOS)