Tropical storm warnings for Florida and both of the state’s coasts, while severe weather is forecast over parts of the West, Midwest, Southwest, and Southeast. Plus, heavy rain and possible flooding for the Northwest.
Florida braces for impact, storm warnings issued
Tropical storm warnings have been issued for central and southern Florida, as well as along the state’s Gulf and Atlantic coasts on Friday by the National Weather Service, (NWS).
The warnings come ahead of the impact of what the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is calling “potential tropical cyclone one,” which could develop into “Alex,” the first named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, the Weather Channel reported.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has also issued a Level 2 severe weather risk for southern Florida, stating: “A few tornadoes are possible beginning this evening across the Florida Keys and continuing overnight into tomorrow morning across far south Florida. Scattered large hail (some of which may be significant), damaging winds, and a couple of tornadoes are possible across the southern to central High Plains beginning in the mid-afternoon.”
As far as the storm’s timing, waves of rain on Friday, getting heavier in the afternoon and evening hours, then reaching the heaviest rain and strongest winds in the overnight hours and early morning hours of Saturday, which could reach tropical-storm-force strength, the Weather Channel reported.
Severe weather over West, Southwest, Midwest
An expansive stretch of severe weather will span over parts of the West, into the Midwest and Southwest on Friday.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has issued a Level 2 severe weather risk over Southeastern Wyoming into southwestern Nebraska, Eastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas, Eastern New Mexico, Western Oklahoma Panhandle, and northern and western Texas.
A Level 2 Severe Weather Risk is defined as scattered, isolated severe storms with the possibility of wind damage, large hail between 1-2 inches, and a low threat of 1-2 isolated tornadoes.
Strong storms could also impact other states in the region with a Level 1 severe weather risk including parts of Montana and South Dakota.
Heavy rain for Southeast and Northwest, flood and storm warnings issued
In the southeast, a Level 1 severe weather risk over southern North Carolina, South Carolina, eastern and central Georgia, as well as southern Florida has been issued by the SPC.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Flood Watch for northeast Oregon and southeast Washington, as well as a Hydrologic Outlook that warns heavy rain could cause streams, rivers, and creeks to rise or overflow over northeast and east-central Oregon, as well as central and south-central Washington.
