As a potent, multifaceted storm rolls out from the Rockies, severe weather ranging from high winds to a few tornadoes will be possible from the northwestern Gulf coast to the Mississippi Valley, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. Approximately 25 million people in the south-central United States will be at risk for severe thunderstorms on Tuesday alone.
The storm will interact with warmth and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico pushed along by stiff winds. Heavy, gusty and perhaps violent thunderstorms will erupt later in the day Tuesday and Tuesday night as energy from the jet stream moves in miles above the ground.
The first storms are likely to fire from portions of northeastern Texas, northwestern Louisiana and central and eastern Arkansas. As a push of colder air continues to move along, the storms will shift eastward into western portions of Mississippi and expand northward into southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois and the western parts of Kentucky and Tennessee.
The main threat from the storms later Tuesday will likely be due to strong wind gusts capable of knocking over trees, triggering power outages and potentially leading to minor property damage. Gusts from the storms will frequent 50-70 mph with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ wind gust to 75 mph possible.
“A few of the strongest storms will carry the potential to produce a tornado,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said of Tuesday’s storms.
Tornadoes are not unheard of this time of the year. On Saturday, a tornado was confirmed in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. The storm knocked down trees, caused power outages to 10,000 utility customers, and damaged buildings in Paradis, Louisiana, Saturday afternoon. There were no reports of injuries.
Since the tornado risk will extend into the nighttime hours on Tuesday, it will pose an added danger of not being able to see the storm in advance. Not all of the storms may produce frequent lightning that would illuminate the storm, and there is the added risk that heavy rain may conceal the tornado. (SOURCE)
