What a dreary way to start the week. Torrential rain has been falling for hours now, leading to some drainage problems, so keep you eye out when driving.
Our hazardous weather outlook today is for severe thunderstorms due to a strong low pressure system that will move west of the Appalachians. The environment may support severe thunderstorms in the afternoon. The main threat will be damaging winds, but an isolated tornado, especially south of I-85, can’t be ruled out.
Today’s chance of rain, in case you haven’t guessed, is 100 percent. Thunderstorms are possible after 3 p.m., Rain could amount to 1 inch. The high will be 62, with wind shifting from the east to the south this afternoon.
Tonight, we’ll have an 80 percent chance of continued showers and thunderstorms with periods of heavy rain and a low of just 52. Winds will pick up, with gusts up to 22 mph.
The mess will move out for Tuesday, when we can expect a partly sunny day and a high near 66. The wind from the northwest could gust as high as 20 mph. There’s a slight chance of showers Tuesday night, with a low around 44.
Wednesday, too, carries a slight chance of showers, but it will be party sunny with a high near 63 and more wind from the north. Wednesday night will be clear with a low around 38.
Then the forecast gets a little simpler. Thursday should be sunny with a high near 68 and a low around 47. Friday should be mostly sunny, with a high of 74 and a low of 53.
Next weekend looks good, too. Saturday should be partly sunny with a high near 75 and a low around 53, and Sunday should be the same, partly sunny with a high near 75.
According to the Associated Press, authorities say severe thunderstorms punching across the Southeast have forced the evacuation of an Alabama mobile home park as heavy rains cause scattered flooding and power outages and snarl rush hour commutes.
The vast storm system swept across Mississippi and central Alabama early today and then rolled into Georgia. In Alabama’s Shelby County, sheriff’s deputies say they helped evacuate residents of the mobile home park because of rising waters. Some roads in Birmingham became impassable due to heavy rainfall, and WBMA-TV reports that firefighters helped a motorist stranded in rising water.
In Mississippi, emergency officials say a 9-year-old girl is missing in the Yazoo City area after apparently being swept away by floodwaters.
The National Weather Service has issued flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings around the region.