An upper-level storm, the first ingredient of a double-barreled Thanksgiving weather system, will sweep across the western U.S. through midweek. As it encounters moisture surging northward from the Gulf of Mexico, a major storm will take shape over the southern Plains and Mississippi Delta region on Thanksgiving Day.
Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said that as the storm evolves from Thursday to Friday, rain will fill up some rain gauges in the lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast, especially from eastern Texas to northern Georgia, upstate South Carolina and western North Carolina.
As the second part of the storm overlaps the first, and where thunderstorms are thrown into the mix from Thursday to Saturday and early Sunday, a general 4-6 inches of rain is likely to fall on portions of the Interstate 10 and 20 corridors with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 12 inches in the rainiest spots.
The given the magnitude of the duo storm system, urban flooding is likely as well as flooding in low-lying areas.
Motorists could encounter poor visibility and excess water on the roads in the Interstate 10, 20 and 40 corridors. Given the volume of vehicles on major highways and secondary roads, the weather conditions and traffic could be a dangerous combination.
The forecasters advise that people allow extra time to get to their destination and remain vigilant of poor visibility and the potential for ponding of water on roadways when driving.
The bulk of the rain will fall around Dallas from Thursday night to Friday and in two parts around Houston from later Thursday to Thursday night and again on Friday night. In the New Orleans area, the worst travel conditions will be from Thursday to Friday with another round on Saturday.
The farther to the east, a double batch of rain is likely to be more distinctive as one storm system moves away and another forms, strengthens and gains momentum.
The forecasters say people headed out for shopping on Small Business Saturday should be aware of another hazard. Thunder and lightning can accompany the rain in the Southeast Saturday. There may be some locally heavy and gusty storms that erupt as well. The meteorologists will continue to monitor the situation for any severe weather threats.
Multiple rainstorms in recent weeks from near the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley have allowed water levels to rise along the Mississippi River periodically. Even though the bulk of the rain from the upcoming storm will focus on the Delta region, it should provide another brief boost in water levels on the waterway and may allow barge traffic to progress for a time.
