# Two Cross-Country Storms to Bring Widespread Rain, Severe Weather, adn Snow to Over 30 States
Millions across more than 30 states are bracing for the impact of two successive cross-country storms beginning Thursday, bringing the threat of severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, and significant snowfall to a vast swathe of the nation. Forecast models now indicate a more definitive pattern of back-to-back low-pressure systems emerging from the southern Rockies, a shift from earlier predictions of a single storm.
A Dual Threat Emerges
Computer forecast models have strengthened in their agreement, revealing two distinct areas of low pressure poised to move out of the southern Rockies. This development, noted by forecasters earlier in the week, considerably increases the complexity and potential impact of the approaching weather systems.
Thursday: Initial Storm Races Across the Plains
Table of Contents
The first storm is expected to rapidly move out of the Southwest on Thursday, unleashing rainfall across much of the Southern Plains, including Oklahoma and North Texas. accompanying this rainfall is a low-level severe thunderstorm threat extending into Arkansas and southern Missouri by Thursday night. Higher elevations in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona could see snow showers develop.
As this initial system progresses eastward, a widespread area of rain will engulf the Midwest, Mississippi, and Tennessee valleys beginning Thursday afternoon. A low-end flash flood threat is in effect for the Chicagoland area, encompassing Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
Friday: Deep South Faces Severe Weather, Second Storm Develops
friday will see a cold front associated with the first storm pushing into the Deep south, escalating the potential for significant severe weather. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 2 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms for the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, including portions of Missouri, western Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana.
Cities like Memphis, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; and Alexandria, Louisiana, are within the at-risk zone, where storms could generate damaging wind gusts, hail, and even tornadoes.
Simultaneously, the second storm will begin to take shape in the Four Corners region, emerging from the southern Rockies and bringing another round of rain to areas already impacted by the first system – specifically, the Midwest and the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys. NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center has issued a Level 2 out of 4 threat of flash flooding for middle Tennessee and northwestern Alabama, including the Nashville and Huntsville metro areas. Rain from the first storm is anticipated to reach the Northeast and New England, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New york City, and Boston, by Friday morning.
Weekend Outlook: east Coast Washout
The weekend forecast indicates continued unsettled weather. rain is expected to linger across the Southeast on Saturday morning as the second storm shifts into the Great Lakes region by the afternoon. Gusty winds and snow are forec
Keep reading
