Widespread showers and even some thunderstorms are expected in the south throughout the weekend that may promote flooding.
Millions in the South are facing a developing storm crossing the country as the threat of flooding increases. The threat of flooding is increasing for millions of people in parts of the Southern Plains this weekend. A developing storm that is expected to dump heavy rain is being tracked from the desert Southwest, across the Plains and into the Deep South as part of a major shift in the overall weather pattern.
The threat of flooding is increasing for millions of people in parts of the Southern Plains this weekend. A developing storm is being tracked that is expected to dump heavy rain from the desert Southwest, across the Plains and into the Deep South as part of a major change in the overall weather pattern.
It has been an active winter in the eastern half of the country, as repeated storms have produced snow and ice due to the cold air that dominated much of December, January and the first part of February.
But that arctic air has been replaced by record warming in the central U.S., and the Northeast is finally thawing, which means this weekend's storm will bring much-needed rain.
Many areas of the Southern and Southern Plains, in fact, are experiencing drought conditions, especially Arkansas and parts of Georgia.
According to the forecast, a storm system will move from Baja California into the Southwest and South Plains beginning Friday.
Widespread 2 to 3 inches of rain is expected along a corridor from eastern Oklahoma to Georgia through the weekend. Scattered thunderstorms are also possible in the South this weekend.
The Weather Prediction Center (Weather Prediction Center) issued a low-level flash flood threat for parts of Oklahoma and north-central Texas on Friday.
The threat is increasing on Saturday, with a threat of flash flooding Level 2 of 4 that now covers parts of northeast Texas, eastern Oklahoma and central Arkansas, including Little Rock.
Up to five inches of rain could fall in these areas over the weekend.
From there, most computer forecast models show this system staying to the south, moving along the Gulf Coast before sliding offshore near the Southeast coast.
In a scenario that computer forecast models consider unlikely, the huge storm system could lift northward into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast after moving offshore.
Looking ahead to early next week, a large southward ripple in the jet stream is expected to stall over the West. This will promote an area of high pressure over the east, reversing the weather pattern that has dominated much of the past month.
