Severe Weather with Tornadoes, Floods Will Affect Millions in South US

Severe weather will hit South US, affecting millions of people as tornadoes and floods are possible.

The forecast comes after a barrage of damaging weather that persisted over the US for the past few days.

There is a strong possibility of severe rainfall finding its way to the Middle South region later tonight and into the early hours of Friday morning. During this round of severe weather, there is a high possibility of heavy rainfall.

On Thursday, the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies experienced substantial snowfall before the wintry weather moved towards the upper Midwest and Northeast US on Friday.

Millions Affected

In the meantime, millions of people will be affected by other weather-related events that are developing in places including Arkansas, Oklahoma, and California.

As rain soaked parts of the Southeast, a flood watch is also in effect over areas in Oklahoma to Indiana. Late on Thursday, a "significant" threat was detected in some areas of Arkansas. According to the weather service, people should prepare for possible widespread damaging wind, tornadoes, and large hail.

Approaching the end of this week, some Californians might experience subfreezing temperatures, with scales tilting towards winter storm conditions.

This string of thunderstorms is anticipated to arrive just a week after thousands of power outages were experienced throughout states because of the winter weather, affecting millions of people in 22 states, The Hill reports.

Severe Weather with Tornadoes, South US

From Ohio and Virginia down to Texas, a massive clash of cold and warm air could create a "blockbuster" storm with heavy snowfall to the north and potentially deadly thunderstorms and tornadoes to the south, AccuWeather warned.

According to the National Weather Service, a potent storm system will bring excessive rainfall, large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes to regions from Texas to Ohio on Thursday. The states with the strongest winds and greatest risk of tornadoes are expected to be Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and western portions of Alabama and Tennessee.

According to the forecast from AccuWeather, the threat of severe thunderstorms will persist on Friday as the storm moves to the Ohio Valley.

Extreme Cold and Heavy Snow in California

The California National Guard was activated and a state of emergency was declared in 13 counties by Governor Gavin Newsom as severe winter weather continued to batter the state. On Thursday, officials issued a freeze warning for parts of central California, warning that extreme cold could destroy crops and damage outdoor plumbing.

National parks in California, including Yosemite National Park and Joshua Tree National Park, were forced to close due to heavy snowfall. On Thursday morning, over 75,000 homes in California remained without power.

A winter storm watch is also expected for parts of Northern California this weekend, with heavy snow predicted for higher elevations over 1,000 feet. According to the National Weather Service, some higher ridges could receive up to 2 feet of snow. Roads in mountainous areas will likely be treacherous, officials said.

Also Read: 6 Astronomical Delights for Skywatchers, March 2023

Flooding conditions possible in the South

On Thursday, there was a flood watch in effect for parts of the Midwest and the Southeast, including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

Beginning Wednesday night, there was expected to be a lot of rain in the area due to thunderstorms. However, "prolonged" showers, mostly north of Interstate 40, could bring 4 inches of rain to some areas Thursday night into Friday morning, the National Weather Service warned.

According to officials, the rain could result in flash flooding, so residents of flood-prone areas should be ready to take action, USA Today reports.