A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued for parts of Texas on Sunday morning as millions of people across the South brace for another storm system that could bring potentially dangerous thunderstorms and flooding to the region this week.
HOUSTON – Millions of people across the South are bracing for another potent storm system that’s expected to bring more flooding rain and severe weather to areas that have already seen their fair share of extreme weather over the past few weeks.
However, the FOX Forecast Center said the overall severe weather threat this week looks to be lower than the most recent deadly severe weather and tornado outbreaks.
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Nonetheless, a Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued for portions of Texas on Sunday.
About 2.2 million people in cities from Killeen and Waco to College Station, Conroe and Lufkin are included in the Severe Thunderstorm Watch that will remain in effect until 3 p.m. CT.
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The FOX Forecast Center said there will still be a chance of strong to severe thunderstorms developing this week as the system pushes off to the east from the southern Plains to the Carolinas.
But it’s not only severe weather that’s putting millions at risk. Flooding will also be an issue as torrential rain falls across areas that are already extremely saturated and have experienced flooding recently.
Sunday’s severe weather, flooding threat
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Millions of people from the Plains in the central U.S. to the Gulf Coast will be at risk of severe weather on Sunday.
But there are two areas that NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has highlighted across portions of Texas and Louisiana that have a higher chance of some potentially dangerous thunderstorms.
The threat zone includes about 8 million people in cities such as Houston, Abilene and Beaumont in Texas, as well as Alexandria in Louisiana.
The main threats will be large hail and damaging wind gusts, but some tornadoes are also possible.
HAIL THE SIZE OF MELONS! SEE THE GIANT THAT COULD RANK AMONG TEXAS’ LARGEST IN HISTORY
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Heavy precipitation is also leading to increased concerns of flooding across portions of East Texas and western Louisiana.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has placed that area in a Level 3 out of 4 risk of flash flooding on Sunday.
The biggest threat is for communities north of Houston, including Waco, Athens, Conroe and Lufkin.
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And if this forecast sounds familiar, it’s because some of these same areas have experienced significant and deadly flooding over the past few weeks.
In fact, the FOX Forecast Center said Texas is leading the way for flash flood reports so far in 2024 and will likely keep adding to that total this week.
Flood Watches have been posted across East Texas, and Flood Warnings remain in effect after the recent round of rain and thunderstorms have caused rivers to overflow their banks.
Monday’s severe weather, flood threat
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The severe weather threat will widen and push a little farther to the east on Monday, with about 19.5 million people in the South in a Level 2 out of 5 risk on the SPC’s 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale.
Several major cities in Texas are included in that threat zone, like San Antonio, Austin, Waco, Houston and Corpus Christi.
And for those of you living in Shreveport and New Orleans in Louisiana, you’ll also be under the threat as the entire state is included in the Level 2 risk.
Portions of western Mississippi and southern Arkansas have also been included.
Large hail and damaging wind gusts will again be the main threats from these storms, and forecasters can’t rule out a possible tornado developing, either.
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The flash flood threat will be lower in Texas and portions of Louisiana on Monday, but it will rise along the Gulf Coast.
A Level 3 out of 4 flash flood risk includes portions of southern Mississippi, southwestern Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle.
This includes Hattiesburg in Mississippi and Mobile in Alabama.
Tuesday’s severe weather, flood threat
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While it’s still a few days out, the SPC is paying attention to areas of the Southeast from Mississippi to the Carolinas for possible severe thunderstorm development on Tuesday.
Currently, more than 21 million people across the region are in a Level 1 out of 5 risk. Anyone living or working in those areas should download the free FOX Weather app and enable notifications to be alerted to any severe weather in the area, and to check on changes to the forecast.
(FOX Weather)
A large portion of the Southeast, as well as portions of the mid-Atlantic, will be at risk of flash flooding on Tuesday. But as with the severe weather forecast, it’s still a few days away and is likely to change a bit.
The flash flood threat on Tuesday will exist from southeastern Alabama to southern North Carolina.