Click HERE for an update concerning the severe weather threat tonight into Wednesday night.
A couple key notes for clarification:
The line of storms has slowed if not stalled near the southwest MS and SELA border. This line is stretching to the WSW all the way back to southeast TX.
The highest rainfall amounts will occur in this line as it drifts southeast. Rainfall estimates with this line early this morning are near 7″ in a few places.
We continue to anticipate the rainfall threat to be highest for the areas west of I-55, through late this morning. These areas, though, are also still at risk of seeing severe weather (a few tornadoes and damaging winds 60+mph), especially as we start to heat up.
The severe weather threat will increase through the day for much of SELA and into coastal MS. Storms will likely not really begin to pick up in coverage till closer to midday and even though many of you are currently in a tornado watch and have been for a few hours please do not let you guard down thinking the threat is over. This was never going to be a quick-hitting system and the worst of the severe impacts have been expected to occur around midday and through the afternoon.
Overview:
WHAT: Enhanced Risk of Severe Weather and Moderate Risk of Heavy Rainfall.
WHEN: through this evening.
WHERE: All of SE LA and southern MS.
CONFIDENCE: We have high confidence that heavy rain and strong to severe storms will occur today but confidence is lower with respect to the severity of the impacts. Mainly if the line of very heavy rain can slide a little farther south and if storms today are more discrete increasing the tornado risk or try to merge in a line leading to a greater damaging wind threat.