Memphis area under tornado watch
Shelby County is under a tornado watch Wednesday afternoon through the evening.
National Weather Service Memphis issued the tornado watch around 3:30 p.m. and it will last until 10 p.m. Wednesday.
A tornado watch alerts residents of the possibility of a tornado; a warning means a tornado has been sighted in the area.
"We're going to see widespread thunderstorms and a few of those thunderstorms could produce tornados," NWS Meteorologist Mike Johnson said.
The NWS Storm Prediction Center on Wednesday upgraded much of the area, including Shelby and DeSoto County, to an "Enhanced Risk" of severe weather between 5 p.m. and 3 a.m.
The concerns for tonight are twofold, Johnson said. The first problem is that the sun will be setting soon, putting the area at risk for nighttime tornados that people might not be prepared for as they go about their evening and go to bed.
"This weather kind of interacts with our routine activities and it puts people at extra risk," Johnson said. "We have a substantial vulnerable population in this area. That's people that don't receive the warnings, people who live in maybe a poorly constructed home or somebody who lives in things like mobile homes and don't have access to shelter."
The Southaven Police Department opened the community safe room Wednesday afternoon for "anyone who would like to take shelter ahead of tonight’s weather." It is located at 7312 Highway 51 N.
The second issue the area is looking at Wednesday night is the expected rainfall rates. Johnson said the rain from each storm won't last for long but the concern is that storms might go over the same area with rain.
"So this continuous raining over certain areas could lead to flash flooding," Johnson said. "Some areas may not pick up very much rain at all tonight, but some areas could see three, four inches maybe even. So we're concerned about the possibility of flash flooding in addition to tornados. This is kind of one of those events where sort of all elements are on the table. Damaging wind, large hail. We’re looking at the possibility of just about anything tonight.”
Thursday will see a lull of severe storms during the day, Johnson said, but a few thunderstorms could develop in the evening. Over Thursday night, NWS expects to see a line of storms develop after midnight and move across the midsouth.
“With that, we’re looking at more widespread damaging wind,” Johnson said. “Not as much hail, but we’re still looking at the potential also for some heavy rainfall.”
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis area under tornado watch
