Drenching, gusty storms to target southern US through Saturday

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

June 23, 2018, 4:59:51 AM EDT

Thunderstorms are expected to drench a significant part of the southern United States through Saturday and will bring temporary relief to the ongoing June swelter.

While hot and humid weather is a given in the Southeast during June, July and August, the steam bath of late has produced above-average temperatures even by Southern standards.

Temperatures over the past week have been averaging 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit above average over a large part of the south. For example, Charlotte, North Carolina, has had highs in the low to middle 90s F since June 14. The average high for Charlotte during late June is 87.

The atmosphere will attempt to bring some natural cooling through Saturday, mainly near and north of Interstate 20.

From this zone, northward to the middle Mississippi and Ohio valleys as well as the Mason-Dixon Line, multiple showers and thunderstorms are in store.

Some storms brought damaging winds and small hail to parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia on Friday evening, including one storm that moved through Atlanta.

Any downpour has the potential to cause brief urban and stream flooding, despite any prior dry conditions from recent days. Flash flooding will be significantly worse where downpours have occurred recently.

Storms may not be absent south of I-20, but they are likely to be very spotty in nature, except for the usual gathering of thunderstorms over the Florida Peninsula during the afternoon and early-evening hours.

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By Sunday, the coverage of thunderstorms is likely to thin out over much of the South and temperatures are likely to again peak in the lower to middle 90s over a broad area.

While no widespread areas of drought currently exist east of the Mississippi River and south of the Mason-Dixon Line, abnormally dry conditions have developed at the local level in some communities where prior storms have missed in recent days. Most of these dry sports are south and east of the Appalachians and north of the Florida Peninsula.

So, while downpours may interrupt outdoor plans and hinder travel, the short-term rainfall is needed in some locations.

Motorists are reminded never to attempt to drive through flooded roads as the water may be much deeper than it appears, which may cause their vehicle to stall. A sinkhole may have formed.

Driving through flooded roads puts not only you and your occupants in peril, but also your would-be rescuers and first responders.