Fox Weather meteorologist Kiana Lewis is live on Fox Weather as severe storms move across the South. Flash flooding and tornadoes are possible as severe storm warnings remain in place across the region.
Jackson, Miss. Severe storms swept across the South on Friday, sparking a series of tornado warnings and creating the threat of flash flooding across several states in the region, as the threat continues into Saturday.
Heavy rain prompted flash flood warnings for several states in the region, including Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, inundating many areas that are currently in drought, increasing the risk of flash flooding.
The warning boxes are color coded: severe storm warning in yellow, tornado warning in red, tornado warning with confirmed tornadoes in purple, flash flood warning in green, and flash flood emergency in pink.
(Fox Weather)
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In a classic arrangement for severe weather in the South, several rounds of severe storms extended from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf Coast.
Meanwhile, the greatest threat of flash flooding is in southern Mississippi near Hattiesburg and a corridor south of Jackson, where up to 3 inches of rain could fall per hour Friday, according to the Fox Forecast Center.
(Fox Weather)
Given the abundant moisture and the potential for more frequent storms, a flood watch will be in place through Saturday and extends 600 miles from New Orleans to Nashville.
More than eight million people are at risk of a severe 2 out of 5 hurricane that hit parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and western Tennessee on Friday, with the greatest threat stretching from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, north to Memphis, Tennessee, and east to Birmingham, Alabama.
(Fox Weather)
Destructive wind gusts are expected to remain the main threat of severe storms, but more tornadoes are possible, following two tornado events on Thursday and Friday.
To start the day on Friday, a powerful series of storms produced at least two radar-confirmed tornadoes in Mississippi around 6:30 a.m. CT. These storms were driven by a cold front from a cross-country storm that is causing heavy rain for millions of people east of the Mississippi River as severe storms swept across parts of the Deep South and Gulf Coast on Friday evening.
How to keep an eye on the weather
The continued threat of tornadoes came after a strong EF-2 tornado touched down in Purcell, Oklahoma on Thursday as a series of storms moved through the area. Although no injuries were reported, the tornado left a trail of destruction, with downed power lines and uprooted trees.
Tornado moving through Purcell, Oklahoma leaving traces of damage
Radar-confirmed tornadoes tore through Interstate 35 and part of Purcell, Oklahoma, on Thursday morning, downing power lines as a powerful line of storms swept across the southern plains.
(KWTV/KOTV via NNS/Fox Weather)
In addition to the EF-2 that struck Purcell, the National Weather Service Norman office confirmed three more tornadoes in Oklahoma: an EF-0 near Lake Thunderbird, an EF-1 near Shawnee Twin Lakes and an EF-1 in North Shawnee.
Danger of severe storm remains on Saturday also
As the storm continued to move eastward overnight, a 2 out of 5 severe thunderstorm threat remained in place Saturday primarily across central and southern Alabama and western Georgia.
(Fox Weather)
According to the Fox Forecast Center, the storm will continue to move east through the late morning and afternoon and impact the Carolinas by Saturday afternoon, which could impact the highly anticipated NFL playoff game between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams.
Cross-country storm expected to impact NFL Wild Card weekend
As the storm moves out of the area, the potential for flash flooding remains in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.
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