A series of winter storms are set to unleash a deluge of rain across the south-central and southeastern United States this week, raising concerns about travel disruptions, flash flooding, and severe thunderstorms. AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting 5-10 inches of rain to fall in portions of the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, the southern Appalachians, and the Piedmont through next Monday.
The first two storms, expected to impact the region through Thursday, could bring 2-6 inches of rain. This heavy rainfall has the potential to cause widespread urban flooding and flash flooding along smaller streams, especially in areas still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene last September.
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“Parts of the Asheville, North Carolina, area have not had much rain since Helene,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist and Social Media Producer Jesse Ferrell. “Should the rainfall anticipated unfold, bridges and roads built but not completed with temporary asphalt, drainage ditches and culverts could be damaged.”
In addition to flooding, there is a risk of severe thunderstorms with at least two of the storm systems this week. The first round is expected Tuesday and Tuesday night, stretching from the upper Texas coast to central Alabama. The primary threats from these storms will be strong wind gusts of 50-60 mph, with localized gusts up to 70 mph possible.
The second storm system, moving from the Plains to the Mississippi Valley on Wednesday, is expected to bring a similar severe weather threat to the region. This time, wind gusts could reach 55-65 mph, with isolated gusts up to 75 mph. There is also a greater chance of tornadoes with this system.
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“The risk of flash flooding and severe weather, including tornadoes in the Southern states, may be even greater with a storm forecast to travel across the eastern half of the nation this weekend,” warned AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
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