Tornadoes, Wind for the Southeast Today

The Storm Prediction Center revised the MARGINAL risk level (1 out of 5) for severe thunderstorms in parts of the Carolinas and Florida Wednesday. An upper-level trough will move from the Southeast toward the Mid-Atlantic Coast, while a low-pressure system will shift from Georgia to Virginia on the surface. The threat for the Atlantic Coast of Florida will be for a few tornadoes in addition to damaging winds.

As mentioned above there are two areas for storm focus today on the East Coast. The first will be with storms moving through Florida during the afternoon and evening. The high moisture environment, daytime heating, and sea breezes will contribute to the elevated tornado threat embedded in thunderstorms. The storms should push offshore by sundown. Our second area of focus will be coastal South Carolina when an area of low pressure moves through late tonight (after dinnertime). This is when we see the potential for heavy rain, damaging winds, and a threat of small hail.

This system has already caused heavy rainfall in Georgia, with Atlanta receiving more than 2 inches of rain in the last 12 hours. Due to the heavy rainfall in Atlanta, a flash flood warning had to be issued Wednesday morning. The heavy rain shifts into coastal Florida and the coastal Carolinas Wednesday afternoon where isolated flooding could be a threat.