Storms with downpours, hail rumble over lower Mississippi Valley

Thunderstorms that erupt across parts of the Mississippi Valley on can pack a bit of a punch into early Monday night.

Areas from eastern Arkansas and eastern Missouri to southern Illinois, western Kentucky, western Tennessee and northern Mississippi are most at risk for the storms.

Despite the development of the thunderstorms, an outbreak of severe weather is not foreseen, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.

Showers and thunderstorms started the day Monday in much of this swath. However, with the leading edge of colder and drier air still to the west, temperatures are forecast to climb enough to produce thunderstorms.

Some of the storms will be heavy and can aggravate the urban and small stream flooding potential.

"A small number of the storms may produce marble-size hail," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Edwards said.

This photo shows pea- to marble-sized hail.

"A couple of the strongest storms could even produce a tornado," he added. "However, we are not looking at a widespread severe weather event."

The storms will first hit areas west of the Mississippi River during the lat afternoon, then they will progress east of the Mississippi during Monday evening.

Well ahead of this line of storms, a few communities can be hit with thunderstorms over the Tennessee Valley, the Gulf Coast and southern Appalachians into Monday night.

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Motorists and people spending time outdoors should keep an eye out for changing weather conditions. Those outside should move indoors or into a hard-top vehicle at the first rumble of thunder. Never attempt to drive through flooded areas as the road surface may have been washed away.

Cooler air will sweep across the region from west to east later Monday night and Tuesday, which will end the threat of thunderstorms and the downpours. Storms will be forced to the southeastern corner of the nation.

The rest of the week will be free from thunderstorms as dry and chilly air sprawls over the region.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.