A 2/5 scattered risk is in effect for strong to severe storms that are expected to move through the Big Bend and Southern Georgia late Friday night through Saturday evening. The main threats will be tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, and locally heavy rainfall.
TIMING
The day on Friday will remain dry, although cloud cover will increase throughout the day. Isolated storms begin to work their way into the region after sunset on Friday, with the chance that some of them may become severe. As of now, most of the region looks to remain dry through the early morning hours, but a strong to severe storm passing through cannot be ruled out.
Make sure you head to bed Friday night with emergency alerts left on your phone, with the ringer on to alert you in the middle of the night if any tornado warnings are issued for your neighborhood. ABC 27 will provide live coverage on air and online in the event any tornado warnings are in effect.
Saturday morning will begin seeing some more scattered storms, with the strongest and most widespread coverage expected around the midday hours. After sunset Saturday night, storms are expected to move out of the region, with a drier overnight and Sunday expected.
IMPACTS
Damaging wind gusts will be the most common threat experienced across the area, especially as a line of storms moves through along a cold front midday and early afternoon Saturday. Some supercells are possible as well, meaning a few tornadoes can spin up across the region between Friday night and Saturday evening. Hail is possible in the strongest storms.
Bursts of heavy rain are expected, most likely as the line of storms moves through early Saturday afternoon. This will bring the chance for localized flooding to parts of the region as a general 1-3" of rain are expected with localized regions seeing more.
BOTTOM LINE
Storms are possible overnight Friday into Saturday morning and are expected to become more widespread by the early afternoon hours on Saturday. Have multiple ways to receive alerts when you head to sleep Friday night and throughout the day on Saturday.
First To Know Weather will be staffed 24/7 throughout the event to keep you updated as storms threaten the region. Stay tuned as the forecast is updated throughout the day on Friday.