Severe weather setup threatens millions as tornadoes and flash flooding loom in the South

A brace of cross-country storms are processing and are pushing from the corners into the Midwest, allowing for rounds of dense rainfall and a barrage of severe weather, threatening millions crossed the South with imaginable tornadoes, damaging winds and flash flooding.

Very moist aerial and beardown upwind shear volition supply the classical ingredients for the look of Southern severe tempest conditions, with the top instability remaining person to the Gulf Coast.

Over 8 cardinal radical are nether a 2 retired of 5 terrible tempest hazard that is successful spot crossed parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and occidental Tennessee, with the highest hazard extending from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, northbound to Memphis, Tennessee and eastbound to Birmingham, Alabama.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, the main threats are damaging straight-line winds and a fewer brief, spin-up tornadoes.

TORNADO RIPS THROUGH PURCELL, OKLAHOMA SPAWNING TRAIL OF DAMAGE

The continued menace for tornadoes comes aft a beardown EF-1 tornado ripped done Purcell, Oklahoma, arsenic a enactment of storms moved done the area. Though nary 1 was injured, the tornado near a way of destruction, downing powerfulness lines and uprooting trees. The National Weather Service successful Norman is inactive surveying the damage.

A radar-confirmed tornado ripped crossed Interstate 35 and portion of Purcell, Oklahoma Thursday morning, knocking down powerfulness lines arsenic a almighty enactment of thunderstorms barreled their mode crossed the Southern Plains.

(KWTV/KOTV via NNS / FOX Weather)

In a classical acceptable up for terrible upwind successful the South, aggregate rounds of storms are expected Friday from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf Coast, elevating the menace of flash flooding.

The archetypal circular volition get connected Friday greeting into midday, followed by different circular aboriginal successful the day and overnight.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

Given the abundant moisture and the likelihood of repeated rounds of storms, flash flooding remains a interest crossed mediate Tennessee, bluish Alabama and Mississippi.

Currently, a Level 2 retired of 4 flash flood menace exists from conscionable northbound of Nashville southward into northbound Alabama and Mississippi.

Rainfall totals volition mostly scope from 2 to 3 inches crossed astir of the Tennessee Valley; however, isolated pockets could spot totals scope up to 5 inches.

Flood Watches are present up from New Orleans done Nashville, extending implicit 600 miles.

Much of the areas included successful flood watches are presently successful a drought, expanding the hazard for flash flooding arsenic the expected rainfall rates whitethorn transcend what the adust crushed tin absorb.

Southern terrible menace continues into Saturday

Severe upwind whitethorn proceed into Saturday arsenic the acold beforehand moves east. A level 1 retired of 5 terrible tempest hazard is already successful spot crossed parts of Georgia and the Carolinas.

As the tempest exits the region, the anticipation of flash flooding remains crossed eastbound Tennessee and occidental North Carolina.