Strong Storm, Tornado Threat Shifts to the SoutheastFollowing deadly tornadoes and strong thunderstorms across the nation's midsection late Thursday, the threat for powerful storms will shift to the Southeast today.
A line of damaging thunderstorms will plow through the lower Mississippi Valley first today, impacting cities such as Alexandria, La., Vicksburg, Miss., and Jackson, Tenn., this morning.
By this afternoon and evening, more storms are expected to blossom farther east, making for a potentially active severe weather day across the Mississippi Delta region, the Florida Panhandle, much of Alabama and Mississippi and areas north to the Ohio Valley.
The primary threat from most of the storms will be powerful wind gusts, perhaps greater than 70 mph, as well as large hail that could shatter car windshields and damage homes.
The threat for tornadoes is also particularly high today. Whether at work, home or on the road, stay alert for any possible tornado warnings and seek a safe shelter right away if warned.
Safe shelters for those indoors include basements, interior closets and hallways. Mobile homes and vehicles should be abandoned for a secure building right away.
Cities that are under the threat for severe storms today include Evansville, Ind., Louisville and Bowling Green, Ky., Nashville, Tenn., Huntsville, Birmingham and Montgomery, Ala., Jackson, Miss., Baton Rouge and New Orleans, La., and Pensacola, Fla.
Numerous interstates will be impacted, including I-10, I-24, I-40, I-55, I-59, I-65 and I-85.
Given the powerful nature of the parent storm system, the threat for severe thunderstorms and isolated tornadoes will persist well after dark as storms march east into western Florida, Georgia and the southern Appalachians.
Asheville, N.C., Atlanta, Ga., and Tallahassee, Fla., are among the locations that could see a dangerous thunderstorm by nightfall.
On Saturday, severe storms could approach the Atlantic coastline, threatening communities from the Delmarva Peninsula south to the coast of eastern Florida.