Update: Tornado watch issued for southwest and portions of central Mississippi
A bout of severe storms with a prolonged threat from heavy rain and flooding are ahead for Mississippi through early this week.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) placed the entire state under the risk for experiencing severe weather with the main threats coming from damaging winds and isolated tornadoes on Sunday into Sunday night.
Much of the state has also been placed under flood watches with heavy rain likely across the region.
The flood watch includes the entire Jackson metro area and covers Adams, Attala, Bolivar, Carroll, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clarke, Clay, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Grenada, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Perry, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Sunflower, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winston and Yazoo counties.
The National Weather Service (NWS) says many areas could receive up to two to three inches of rainfall with locally higher amounts as strong to severe storms move across the state through the afternoon.
"Strong to severe storms and heavy rainfall will be possible from late this morning into the afternoon and evening as a potent weather disturbance swings across the region. The most intense storms will be capable of producing damaging wind gusts, tornadoes and hail. A couple of tornadoes could be strong," the NWS said.
"In addition, very heavy rain could lead to flash flooding," the NWS added.
The greatest risk for tornadoes is across central and southern sections of Mississippi, along and south of Interstate 20, according to the SPC.
A strong to severe line of storms moving across eastern Texas, southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana Saturday night into early Sunday, had already prompted two tornadoes watches. But no widespread or significant damage had been reported so far.
The threat from flooding will likely continue for portions of the state through early this week as the frontal boundary stalls along the gulf coast.
"The cold front will stall near the gulf coast early Monday bringing a risk for additional heavy rain through Tuesday as disturbances interact with the boundary. Areas south of Interstate 20 could see an additional two to four inches of rainfall during this time, which would continue the risk for flash flooding and eventual river flooding," the NWS said.
A flood watch for river flooding has already been issued for portions of southern Mississippi including Amite, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, Pike, Walthall and Wilkinson counties.
The state just wrapped up its Severe Weather Preparedness Week last week and everyone should be prepared to take action in the event your area is threaten.
All residents are strongly advised to monitor the latest weather information as it becomes available.
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