Concerning...Heavy rainfall...Flash flooding possible
Valid 200353Z - 200953Z
Summary...An uptick in moderate to heavy showers and thunderstorms
overnight, with the potential for repeating rounds, will raise the
risk of flash flooding across portions of the mid-MS, TN, and
lower OH Valleys.
Discussion...Deep mid/upper level trough over the Southwest US and
+140 kt jet downstream has put the lower/mid MS, TN, and lower OH
River Valleys well within the favorable right entrance region this
evening. Southerly flow in the low levels is surging higher
moisture northward, characterized by an increase in PWs, now
ranging from 1.2 to 1.4" per latest TPW blends and RAP
mesoanalysis.
Regional radar imagery shows plenty of elevated showers and
thunderstorms ongoing from the Arklatex region northeastward
toward the confluence of the OH and MS Rivers with a noted cooling
in the IR imagery cloud tops. This is supported by the RAP
analysis of 500-1500 J/kg of MUCAPE as far north as the TN/KY
border.
Over the next several hours, the low level jet is expected to
increase with 850 mb winds forecast between 50-70 kts by 07-08z.
This should act to further surge the anomalously high PWs (2-3 SD
above the mean) northward. Convection should continue to blossom
over the region and with the expected storm motion (southwest to
northeast) closely aligned with the mean flow, repeating rounds
and training will be possible.
Hi-res models indicate that through about 10z, a swath of 1-2"
with local amounts near 3", will be possible from central/eastern
AR, western TN, northern MS, and southwest KY. This region has
been running very wet the last 14 days (300-400 percent of normal)
so the additional rainfall combined with colder ground surfaces
will lead to enhanced runoff and potential flash flooding.