- The main threat area on Saturday is along Interstate 20 from Louisiana to Alabama.
- The threat area shifts eastward on Sunday and includes parts of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
- Travel impacts on the roads and airport will be likely both Saturday and Sunday.
A potential outbreak of severe storms will threaten several states in the South this weekend, during the busy holiday travel season. Strong tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, large hail and heavy rainfall are concerns both Saturday and Sunday.
This comes right on the heels of multiple tornadoes that struck Texas and Louisiana on Thursday; a reminder that tornadoes can strike during any season.
Here’s what you need to know in case the stormy weather impacts your travel plans or holiday festivities.
Saturday’s Forecast
The threat of severe storms will extend from eastern Texas to the lower Mississippi Valley and into parts of the Tennessee Valley.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has highlighted an enhanced area (level 3 out of 5) for severe weather that stretches across portions of Louisiana, Mississippi and western Alabama. This area includes places like Monroe, Louisiana, as well as Jackson and Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
The SPC warns this corridor could see strong tornadoes (EF2 or higher intensity) if the right mix of atmospheric ingredients come together.
(For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.)
Warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico will help fuel these storms ahead of an approaching cold front. We could see a few pop up storms across the threatened areas early in the day, ahead of the main line of storms.
The threat of severe storms will then intensify during the afternoon and evening hours.
Heavy rainfall, large hail, damaging winds, as well as tornadoes will also be possible from east Texas to Georgia, and stretching northward into Tennessee.
Other cities included in the storm risk areas include: Houston, Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, Shreveport, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
We could see airport delays on Saturday in and around Houston, Shreveport, New Orleans, Jackson, Little Rock and New Orleans. And road travel could be dangerous at times along interstates, 10, 20, 49, 55, 59.
If you are traveling by car, be aware that some of the intense rainfall could lead to flash flooding.
Sunday’s Forecast
Severe storms will continue to march eastward on Sunday into much of the Southeast and extending northward into portions of the upper Ohio Valley and central Appalachians.
We could see storms already in motion during the early morning hours across portions of Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, then continue eastward through the day.
The area with greatest chance of severe weather extends from eastern Georgia into the Carolinas and southern Virginia. Augusta, Georgia, Columbia, South Carolina, and Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, are some of the cities in this threat area.
We could see airport delays on Sunday in places like Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh. And travel could be dangerous at times along interstates 10, 20, 75 and 85.
Make sure you check back often as adjustments are made to the forecast.
Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world’s biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.
