Showers And Storms Ahead, A Strong Storm Possible Late

Thursday Update

4 hours ago

Brian Davis,

Weather Update: Thursday, December 18 —

The marginal severe risk has been put back in place by the Storms Prediction Center, we are still monitoring this afternoon through early evening as storms move through. Storms will have potential for gusty winds, brief heavy rain, small hail, and lightning.

More showers and weak storms will move over the Mississippi River by around 12 to 1 PM and continue push from west to east towards the Tennessee River through 7 PM. Counties near the Tennessee River have the best chance of getting that Non Severe, but stronger storm with gust winds up to 40 mph, small hail, and Lightning. Again, the overall threat of severe storms is low but a few storms near the Tennessee River will have gusty winds and heavy rainfall.

Winds will increase into the late morning as well with gusty winds up to 25 mph.

We will start with mainly cloudy skies, but also a bit windy as pressure gradient increases further. it ill be in response the the trough digging SE from the North-Central Plains over the the upper Midwest. For most of the morning, winds will increase and be sustained 10-15 mph with some gusts around 25-35 mph. By lunchtime, we expect a line of storms will be focusing up to the west of the Mississippi River along a pre-frontal trough. However, thank to the clouds and spotty showers in the morning there will not be much fuel in the tank for more bonafide threat of stronger organized storms. Either way, there may be a few gusts approaching 40 mph especially along the min line by mid afternoon.

Storms will move out of the area by around 7 pm and the temperature will fall quickly overnight to around 27 in the morning! Have the coats ready for the bus stop in the morning. This is not a frigid Arctic airmass like the last system and the temperatures will moderate quickly into the weekend. Highs on Friday will be in the mid 40s with sunny skies. We’ll warm up to 60 on Saturday with dry weather. Rain returns next week along with temperatures in the upper 60s/ Lower 70s Christmas Eve!

Brian Davis
Storm Team 7 Meteorologist