By Jennifer Gray, Aya Elamroussi and Robert Shackelford, CNN
A strong storm system on Friday will bring severe weather potential to 30 million people from the lower Mississippi Valley to the lower Ohio Valley.
“A tornado outbreak (is) possible Friday night in parts of the Mid-Mississippi Valley,” the Storm Prediction Center warned.
The storms will be capable of producing strong to intense (EF-3+) tornadoes, with long-track tornadoes possible.
The greatest risk from powerful tornadoes includes more than six million people for places like Shreveport, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; and Jackson, Mississippi.
“All in ArkLaTex are advised to be prepared to receive alerts and have a conservation plan that addresses locations closer to the Mississippi River Valley with heightened urgency,” the Shreveport Weather Service Office warned.
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While the strongest storms occur in the evening hours, each storm could trigger a few weak tornadoes later in the day.
A tornado warning west of Dallas prompted a ground stop at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport early Friday morning.
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Damaging winds gusting potentially in excess of 75mph and hail are expected throughout the day and into the Friday night hours.
Along with the threat of tornadoes, there will be torrential rains that can lead to flash floods.
Flood danger for millions
The rain is expected across a large part of the US, stretching from Oklahoma to West Virginia.
Nearly 19 million people are under flood protection in at least eight states in the south-central and central regions.
“A dangerous flash flood and severe weather event is expected tomorrow (Friday) as heavy rains concentrate along a slow-moving cold front across the Ohio Valley while tornadoes, damaging winds and hail develop south of the border in the Lower MS Valley and Mid- South”, the The weather forecast center warned Thursday afternoon.
The worst of the storm’s effects came late Thursday over the Oklahoma-Missouri border, drenching parts of the states with 1 to 3 inches of rain in areas where flash flooding warnings are in place. The same areas can expect another 1 to 3 inches of rain overnight.
Along with the heavy rain, large hail is also a major threat alongside damaging winds and the possibility of tornadoes.
Flood monitoring extends more than 1,000 miles from Oklahoma and northern Arkansas east to southern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern and central Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. A flood watch means conditions are favorable for possible flooding and it’s not a strong indication that flooding will occur, the National Weather Service said.
The significant flood threat is expected to shift from northwestern Arkansas to western Ohio over the course of Friday. Storm totals of between 2 and 4 inches of rain are expected, with the heaviest rains potentially exceeding 5 inches total.
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CNN meteorologist Monica Garrett contributed to this report.
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