AccuWeather forecasters warn that a dangerous severe weather outbreak could put at least 17 states and more than 100 million Americans at risk across the United States this week. The Chattanooga area is in the possible path of the storms.
Severe thunderstorms will erupt each day through Thursday across parts of the southern U.S., with the greatest threat and potential for tornadoes Wednesday, lasting well into the nighttime hours, and Thursday.
All facets of severe weather ranging from large hail and flash flooding to damaging straight-line wind gusts and tornadoes can occur from Tuesday evening through Thursday evening in what is likely to evolve into a significant severe thunderstorm and tornado outbreak.
"I think the highest tornado threat is going to be Wednesday and Thursday, especially on Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said, adding that in addition to unleashing all modes of severe weather, there's another aspect about this outbreak that has meteorologists particularly concerned: "Severe weather will be lingering long after sunset over the next few nights."
States at risk for severe weather, including at least isolated tornadoes, are Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida. The threat may expand to portions of West Virginia and Ohio as well.
The threat of violent storms will focus over the lower and middle portions of the Mississippi Valley, much of the upper Gulf Coast, the Tennessee Valley and part of the Ohio Valley, which is home to more than 40 million people. Cities and rural areas stretching from New Orleans, northward to St. Louis and from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Atlanta are expected to be at risk during part of the period from Wednesday to Wednesday night.