Severe Thunderstorms Possible as Temperatures Cool

Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible today into tonight, according to a National Weather Service hazardous weather forecast.

Low pressure is expected to develop over western Tennessee and Kentucky later this morning as a cold front develops over the Southern Plains and lower Gulf Coast. Ahead of this front an area of showers and embedded thunderstorms will move across Alabama and into west Georgia later this morning.

The forecast predicts storms will intensify through early afternoon and spread over the remainder of the area with the threat for strong to severe storms with large hail, damaging winds and a risk of an isolated tornado. The chance of rain is 90 percent.

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 2 p.m., are forecast for today, then showers and thunderstorms after 2. This morning patchy fog between 8 and 9 a.m. may be the bigger problem until those storms hit.

Temperatures won't reach the balmy 70s of this past weekend. Instead, today's high will reach 64 degrees with a gradual cooling off until the high is 55 for Thursday and Friday. Lows will drop from 45 tonight to 30 on Thursday night.

A secondary area of showers and strong to severe storms will develop along the actual cold front tonight with the area of main concern shifting to central Georgia for the first part of the overnight period.

It will be drier – but colder – Tuesday through Sunday, the forecast predicts. A brief period of light wintry precipitation over the mountains late Wednesday. Expect tranquil conditions until next storm system takes shape for the end of the week and into the weekend. At the onset, expect a chance of thunderstorms for the southern tier and continued cool and wet for the north.