AccuWeather Forecasts Multi-Region Weekend Weather Events

More than 10 million people will be at risk for a four-day stretch of severe weather expected to rumble through the South and Southeast United States in the coming days, according to an AccuWeather media release issued on Thursday.

In that release, the company’s expert meteorologists also called attention to a storm that is forecast to bring freezing rain and ice to parts of the Northeast, as well as a relentless train of storms pounding the Northwest.

Severe Weather Threat from Texas to Florida

Flooding downpours, hail, damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes are possible Thursday from Houston, Texas, to Shreveport, Louisiana, the release said.

“Given sufficient energy and a pronounced change in wind speed and direction with height in the atmosphere, all modes of severe weather are on the table, including hail, flooding, high winds and isolated tornadoes,” said Gwen Fieweger, an AccuWeather meteorologist.

“This will be the second round of severe weather to impact eastern Texas so far this week, with the first round having brought hail, localized flooding and even funnel cloud sightings on Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning.”

Meteorologists forecast a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms in eastern Texas, western Louisiana, southeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Arkansas. The AccuWeather media release noted the threat of potent storms will shift east on Friday from southeastern Louisiana to parts of central Alabama.

“The primary hazards within storms Friday and Friday night will be flooding downpours, hail and damaging wind gusts of 50-60 mph,” the media release said. “By this weekend, thunderstorms will advance farther across the Southeastern states, reaching places like Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, and Montgomery, Alabama. The risk of isolated tornadoes will return Saturday.

AccuWeather reported that severe thunderstorms will continue pushing east on Sunday. The storms will extend from central Florida along the East Coast to eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. Flooding downpours, hail, localized damaging wind gusts of 50-60 mph and isolated tornadoes are possible Sunday. Most of the storms will begin to shift offshore by Sunday night.

Northeast Freezing Fog and Soaking Storm

AccuWeather’s media release explained that patchy freezing fog is possible across parts of central Pennsylvania, upstate New York and the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland from Thursday night into Friday morning.

“Travelers in the East will contend with wet weather returning as moisture slowly advances eastward from the middle of the country this weekend,” the release said. “Mild air building into the region later this week should limit wintry precipitation to upstate New York and New England.”

AccuWeather expert meteorologists warn there could be a brief period of freezing rain from Friday night into Saturday morning across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire, as well as the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland.

Flooding and Avalanche Risk in the Northwest

As additional moisture-packed storms sweep into parts of California, Oregon and Washington, the relentless stormy pattern affecting the West Coast is expected to continue through the weekend, the release said.

AccuWeather expert meteorologists warn there will be an enhanced risk for flooding, mudslides and avalanches as holiday travelers begin to return from their destinations.

“Some of the most impactful storms of this tumultuous stretch will hit the region during the latter half of the week,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys. “Since the ground is already soaked from prior storms, any additional rainfall through Friday will increase the threat for flooding and mudslides, especially across burn scar areas and along short-run rivers out of the Cascades.”

The next wave of storms — expected late Friday to Sunday night — could bring additional rainfall up to 8 inches across parts of northwestern California and southwestern Oregon, AccuWeather said.

The company’s forecasts show blizzard conditions are a concern as snow continues to fall across the Oregon Cascades and winds intensify. Up to 2 feet of snow is expected through Friday in some mountains across Oregon and Washington. Varying freezing heights, a melting and refreezing pattern and water loading the snowpack will increase the risk of mountain avalanches in the region.