This week, the South and Southeast regions of the United States are bracing for an active stretch of weather as a potent storm develops in the Gulf of Mexico. Millions of residents from Texas to Florida are preparing for widespread rain, severe thunderstorms, and flash flooding.
Currently, Texas is experiencing severe weather conditions, with over 1.5 million people south of Houston under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until Thursday afternoon. Communities such as Victoria, Bay City, and Rockport are included in this watch area.
The active weather pattern is already underway in the southern Plains as a disturbance moves into the region, mixing with warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and triggering thunderstorms across South Texas. Some of these storms may turn severe, with hail being the primary threat.
As the disturbance progresses, wind shear will increase, potentially leading to the development of supercell thunderstorms in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. Houston is at a Level 2 risk for severe weather on Thursday, with hail and damaging wind gusts expected.
Further west, thunderstorms are forecasted to develop along the Interstate 35 corridor, affecting cities like Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Waco. Hail and high wind gusts are possible in these areas.
On Friday, stormy weather will move eastward across the Florida Peninsula as the disturbance strengthens into a potent storm in the Gulf of Mexico. Heavy rain is expected in South Florida and parts of Georgia, the Carolinas, and the mid-Atlantic region.
In South Florida, as much as 3-5 inches of rain could lead to flash flooding in cities like Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Thunderstorms in Georgia and the Carolinas may bring a few inches of rain with a low risk of flash flooding.
Friday is anticipated to be a washout from Florida to the mid-Atlantic as the disturbance progresses north along the East Coast, eventually impacting the Northeast and New England with heavy rain and potential snowfall.
