South faces risk of flooding into weekend
Heavy rain is expected to fall along I-10 into the weekend. Two to three inches of rain could fall around New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia.
new orleans – The storm system that flooded the Pacific Northwest and California on Thursday is now moving through the Southeast with heavy rain and thunderstorms.
On Friday, the Storm Prediction Center issued a severe thunderstorm warning for much of central Texas, with multiple tornadoes reported.
Fewer severe storms are expected as instability eases around the Gulf Coast over the weekend, but heavy rain could especially cause problems for the ongoing Mardi Gras festivities.
Heavy rain floods the southeast (FOX Weather)
Heavy rain threatens flooding, Mardi Gras parade schedule adjusted
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Weather Prediction Center highlighted parts of southeastern Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi as being at increased risk of excessive rainfall and flooding.
That region includes Baton Rouge and New Orleans, where Mardi Gras celebrations are held for a month Saturday.
More than 20 Mardi Gras parades are scheduled in New Orleans from Friday through Sunday, and the parade into Saturday evening is likely to be rainy, with 3 inches of rain expected to fall in wind gusts up to 35 mph. has been done. In fact, some parades had to adjust their schedules.
“Five crew members on the New Orleans route were forced to depart two hours early, and the sixth crew member was actually delayed until Sunday,” FOX Weather meteorologist Brandi Campbell said Friday from New Orleans. reported. He said, “In collaboration with the New Orleans Police Department, crews have decided to reduce the number of bands and other marching elements within the force.”
About 15 minutes away in Metairie, Louisiana, the only parade scheduled for Saturday was the Magical Krewe of the Mad Hatters. But they plan to move behind the Atlas Parade on Sunday after hearing from meteorologists that they would have been hit by bad weather if they hadn't changed the parade.
Joey Lacoste of the Mad Hatters Magical Crew told FOX Weather, “When you see a thunderstorm raining down on a parade, it's the emptiest feeling.” “You know, the heart is at your feet. So we were really concerned. Plus, there's a safety issue here because there's a big float that could attract lightning. Plus, thunderstorms. No one wants to sit inside and watch a parade.”
Mardi Gras in New Orleans will be held Saturday despite rain.
The heavy rain that is affecting the west is expected to move to the southeast over the next few days. NOAA's Weather Prediction Center highlighted parts of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi as at increased risk of excessive rainfall and flooding. Active El Niño events are known to bring heavy rain to the south.
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How much rain will it fall?
Forecast models are predicting widespread rainfall of 1 to 2 inches across the South, with some areas potentially seeing more than 3 to 4 inches. Some Mississippi counties are already under flash flood watches.
More than a dozen watershed gauges along the lower Mississippi River are already at flood stage due to heavy rains in January.
Several storms have passed through the area over the past three weeks, reducing precipitation by 1 to 2 feet.
The rains have reduced the area suffering from extreme and unusual drought by more than half, but 88% of Louisiana and 84% of Mississippi remain abnormally dry.
By Tuesday morning, the entire storm system is expected to move off the East Coast, but an active jet from the south during an El Niño event will reduce the amount of precipitation impacting the Gulf Coast. It is expected that this possibility will increase.
Northeast and Midwest see sunny weekend after week of unrelenting darkness
severe weather forecast
At least two tornadoes were spotted by storm trackers in Texas on Friday.
The twister was likely on the ground for only a few minutes, but that didn't stop people like Haley Jo from posting photos and videos of the tornado as it passed through Sagerton, Texas.
Sagerton is approximately a three-hour drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.
Tornado hits Sagerton, Texas on Friday night
A tornado briefly touched down in Saggerton, Texas on Friday evening. There were no initial reports of damage from the twister.
At least one tornado was also seen outside Haskell, Texas.
There were no reports of extensive damage or injuries in either case.
SPC also received several reports of quarter-sized hail and wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Short tornado hits Haskell, Texas
On Friday, a supercell thunderstorm spawned a tornado in rural Haskell, Texas.
