A severe weather threat is ongoing across the Deep South on Saturday, with potential for tornadoes and flash flooding. A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for over 8 million residents in parts of Alabama and Georgia, valid until Saturday evening.
Active storms were reported over parts of Mississippi early Saturday morning. The primary risk for severe weather development is expected from the morning into the afternoon hours.
These storms are forecast to continue into the afternoon, impacting areas from New Orleans to Clemson, South Carolina, including cities such as Atlanta and Pensacola. The main hazards include damaging winds, tornadoes, and large hail.
The threat is expected to decrease later in the afternoon and into the early evening. However, rainfall will persist, moving east and northeast through the late evening and overnight hours. Additional heavy rain is anticipated, with widespread accumulations of 1 to 3 inches. Localized areas in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee could receive up to 3 to 4 inches of additional rainfall.
Rain is also projected for the Northeast, commencing in Philadelphia around 11 a.m., New York City after 12 p.m., and Boston and other I-95 corridor locations later in the afternoon. Rain will continue throughout most of the day across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
On the northern edge of the storm system, light snow, ranging from a dusting up to 3 inches, may occur in Chicago on Saturday morning, with conditions expected to clear before the NFL Wild Card Matchup. Parts of Wisconsin and Michigan could experience 3 to 6 inches of fresh snow, while northern New England may see a dusting to 3 inches of snow and up to a tenth of an inch of ice accumulation.