Francine flash flooding, severe storms & tornadoes in the Deep South Tennessee to North Florida

Photo byweather prediction center

This is going to be a busy couple of days across the Deep South & Gulf States. Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida panhandle are are at risk for heavy rain and widespread flash flooding. The highest risk likes in Central Alabama including the city of Birmingham. Flood risks will shift eastward over the weekend centered in Eastern Tennessee, Georgia & South Carolina. Francine which was once a category 2 hurricane is now spreading a large area of rain, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes for inland areas and that moisture has no place to go thanks to a blocking pattern in the atmosphere.

Photo byweather prediction center

Many areas Southeast Louisiana have already recieved 8 inches or more of rain from Francine and some additional rain is expected there today. 6 inch or more rain amounts are possible in the flash flood risk area. In addition we have elevated tornado risk across the Gulf States today and the Storm Prediction Center is forecasting severe weather risk in Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle

Photo bystorm prediction center

Thanks to blocking in the upper atmosphere over the Northeast (weather has been great there), Francine will only make it so far north to Northeast Arkansas or Western Tennessee where the center stalls and disintegrates. The rains howevere continue across the South all weekend and eventally shift to the Southeast US.

Photo byTropical Tidbits

Lower than normal pressures off the Southeast US Coast will eventually result in low pressure developing there next week. This new system has the chance of becoming a new tropical depression or tropical storm but even if that doesn't happen, the onshore flow from the Atlantic will bring heavy rains to the Carolinas and Southern Appalachians beginning Friday and lasting on and off into next week.