Severe Weather Threatens South with Tornadoes

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A strong storm system is expected to move across the southern United States this weekend, bringing the threat of severe weather including damaging winds, heavy rain, and possible tornadoes to areas from Texas to Florida. The storms are forecast to impact major cities like Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, and Atlanta, with the highest risk for flash flooding and debris flows in parts of California.

Why it matters

Severe weather events can cause significant damage to property and infrastructure, as well as pose a threat to public safety. This storm system has the potential to disrupt travel, knock out power, and require emergency response efforts across a wide region.

The details

The storm system will move out of the Rockies on Saturday, bringing severe thunderstorms to Texas and Louisiana in the evening hours. Damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, and heavy rainfall are possible in cities like Houston and New Orleans. The storm will then track eastward, impacting Alabama and Georgia early Sunday morning with gusty winds and heavy rain. While the tornado threat will stay south, the heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding concerns across the region.

• Storms will move into Dallas, Texas, late Saturday morning.
• Storms will move through Houston between 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday.
• New Orleans, Louisiana, and Jackson, Mississippi, will see storms moving through between midnight and 2 a.m. Sunday.
• Storms move through Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama, early Sunday morning from 5 to 8 a.m.
• Atlanta gets storms and heavy rain mid to late morning Sunday.

What’s next

Weather forecasters will continue to monitor the storm system and provide updates on the potential for severe weather and flooding across the region.