What’s Happening Another round of dangerous storms is targeting the South this week, with the threat now raised to a Level 3 out of 5 for Wednesday.
Cities including Dallas, Austin, Houston, Little Rock, Memphis, Birmingham, Jackson, and Shreveport are all in the path.
The Threats
- Tornadoes — some could reach EF2 strength or higher
- Large hail — possibly bigger than a golf ball
- Damaging wind gusts
- Flash flooding in some spots
Timing
- Tonight into early Wednesday: Storms fire up from Texas to Tennessee. Danger zones include areas along I-40 and I-44.
- Wednesday afternoon–evening: A new wave targets the Tennessee Valley, lower Mississippi Valley, and eastern Texas. The threat continues well into the evening across the Deep South.
Why It’s Happening Two jet streams are colliding over the South — one pulling warm, moist Gulf air northward, the other driving a cold plunge from the Rockies. That clash is a classic tornado setup, and May is historically the most active tornado month in the U.S.
Silver Lining: Drought Relief The same storms are expected to drop 1 to 3 inches of rain across drought-stricken parts of the South — welcome relief for dry soils. Flood watches are already in place for northern Georgia.
But a warning: if rain falls too fast, flash flooding remains possible — as seen recently in Baton Rouge.
Stay Safe If you’re in any of the highlighted cities, monitor local alerts and have a shelter plan ready before storms arrive.
