Spotty Severe Storms to Affect South Into Tuesday Evening

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

March 31,2015; 8:13PM,EDT

 

 

Strong to locally severe thunderstorms will affect areas from northern Texas and southern Oklahoma to western and southern Georgia into Tuesday evening.
The vast majority of the storms in this swath will be typical heavy Southern thunderstorms. However, a few locations will experience a damaging storm.
The main threat from the storms will be large hail and locally strong wind gusts, along with blinding downpours. A couple of the strongest storms can produce brief tornado.
People spending time outdoors should keep an eye out for rapidly changing weather conditions and seek shelter in a sturdy building or vehicle as storms approach. While the main threat to property will be hail and strong winds, lightning is the greatest risk for people outdoors.

One small cluster of storms erupted Tuesday afternoon near Little Rock, Arkansas, and produced hail up to 2 inches in diameter. Hail reports poured in from across many locations throughout the south, including hail 1.75 inches in diameter in Good Hope, Alabama and near Leland, Mississippi. Strong winds also were reported, including a 70 mph wind gust near Pendleton, Arkansas.
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The storms are erupting along a developing frontal zone separating building warm and humid air to the south from slightly cooler and less humid air to the north.
A potentially significant outbreak of severe weather is likely on Wednesday centered on Iowa but extending as far north as parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin to as far south as Texas.
The risk of severe weather will continue over the Central states into Thursday night.