At least 12 states are under the threat of damaging winds and hail from a severe storm that will affect parts of the mid-South, South, and Southeast on Friday. Severe heat continues but eases for some, plus your weekend forecast.
12 states face severe weather in South, Southeast
A large area of strong thunderstorms over parts of the mid-South, South, and Southeast on Friday will put at least a dozen states under a level 2 severe weather risk, according to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC). The areas of concern include southern Indiana, Kentucky, southern West Virginia, central and southern Virginia, southern Maryland, Delaware, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, northern Central and Southeastern Georgia, and northeastern Alabama.
The strongest areas of concern are parts of Georgia, eastern Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Virginia.
Damaging winds, especially straight-line winds, are going to be the major threat with this storm, according to the Weather Channel, while the tornado and hail threats are low. The timing of the storms will generally span from the afternoon into the early evening.
Severe heat continues but shifts to new areas and eases for some
The extreme heat that has pummeled the US this week will continue. Moving into the weekend, the deep South will feel the brunt of the effect, with parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas all experiencing triple digits, while other parts of the South will hit the high 90s, which will also be felt all the way up to Washington, D.C., with a peak of 99.
One silver lining is a bit of a break in the humidity, as the dew point falls, the Weather Channel reported.
Into Saturday and Sunday, the heat will concentrate in the central and northern Plains, bringing a bit of a break in the East.
The weekend forecast
Here’s a look ahead at Saturday and Sunday with the latest forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Saturday: Sleet, scattered thunderstorms
No severe weather in the forecast, with scattered thunderstorms over parts of the Northwest, West, upper Midwest, and South, with rain in the Northeast.
Critical fire weather for parts of Nevada, Arizona, and Utah.
Mixed precipitation could bring scattered thunderstorms and some wintry weather to portions of Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah.
Sunday: Sleet, scattered thunderstorms, rain
No severe weather in the forecast, with scattered thunderstorms around the nation over parts of the Northwest, Southwest, upper Midwest, Great Lakes area, and Florida. Rain over parts of the mid-South and Maine.
Sleet with potential winter-like weather over portions of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado.
