…Life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds, as well as the
risk of considerable flash flooding are forecast across southern Louisiana
on Wednesday as Francine approaches…
…Heavy rain expected to impact parts of the northern Rockies by
midweek…
…Elevated to critical fire weather concerns across much of the
Intermountain West….
As of early this morning Tropical Storm Francine continues churning in the
western Gulf of Mexico just to the southeast of Brownsville, Texas and
moving on a gradual northward motion. Francine is forecast to strengthen
into a hurricane before an expected landfall in southern Louisiana on
Wednesday. As the system approaches the central Gulf Coast and eventually
pushes inland across Louisiana, an increased threat of life-threatening
storm surge, hurricane-fore winds, and considerable flash flooding is
anticipated. Rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches, with local amounts up to
12 inches are forecast across much of central/eastern Louisiana and
Mississippi through Thursday night. Francine is then forecast to continue
its trek northward into the Mid-South on Thursday, while quickly
weakening. However, additional heavy rainfall and flash flooding concerns
are possible into western Tennessee neighboring regions. A stationary
front extending eastward from the center of the storm over the next few
days will also focus areas of numerous, slow-moving thunderstorms capable
of containing intense rainfall rates between the Florida Peninsula and
central Gulf Coast. Residents are reminded to remain weather-ready and
never drive across flooded roadways.
The only other section of the Lower 48 expecting chances for heavy rain
through midweek are parts the northern Rockies as a deep upper-level low
crosses over the region. A few inches of rainfall throughout northwest
Montana could lead to an increased risk of flash flooding on Wednesday,
which has prompted a Slight Risk (level 2/4) of Excessive Rainfall. This
storm system will also produce gusty winds throughout the Intermountain
West and lead to fire weather concerns. Specifically, the Storm Prediction
Center has issued a Critical Fire Weather area for much of Nevada and
western Utah. Current and continued wildfire activity over the Great Basin
will further add to the smokey skies noticeable throughout the northern
Plains, Midwest, and parts of the Ohio/Tennessee valleys.
High temperatures will remain above average average and into potentially
dangerous levels across parts of southern California and the Southwest
today before a quick cooldown commences by midweek. Meanwhile, upper
ridging in the north-central U.S. is expected to produce more summer-like
afternoon temperatures into the upper 80s and low 90s as far north as the
northern Plains and Upper Midwest by Thursday. These temperatures equate
to around 10 to 20 degrees above average, but are not expected to break
many daily records.
Snell
Graphics available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php
