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Strong storms, rain expected to roll through Mid-South Tuesday

UPDATE 8:11 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for the following counties until 8:45 – Hardeman, Fayette, Marshall

Madison, Haywood, Gibson, Crockett, Fayette, Hardeman, and Tipton counties have a Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued until 8:30 p.m.


UPDATE 7:26 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Phillips, Lee, and Coahoma counties until 8 p.m.

UPDATE 7:11 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for the following counties until 7:45 p.m.: Shelby, Crittenden, DeSoto, Fayette, Marshall, Tate, and Tunica.

Coahoma, Lee, and Phillips counties have a Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued until 7:30 p.m.

UPDATE 2 p.m.: There are currently no severe warnings in our area. The area with the greatest likelihood of severe weather has moved southeast of the Memphis area. Oxford, Mississippi is within the zone of moderate risk. See video update above.

UPDATE: A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for the area below 12:15 PM CST.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tuesday will be stormy with a threat of severe weather, so stay alert to rapidly changing conditions.

A strong cold front will rumble across the region over the next 24 hours and it will be packing a punch with the threat of high winds, heavy rain and the possibility of isolated tornadoes, WREG’s Todd Demers said. 

Most of this will be Tuesday afternoon and evening and it will end quickly. Much of the News Channel 3 viewing area will be under a Moderate risk of severe weather.

WREG will be on top of the weather Tuesday, and will keep you updated on News Channel 3 and on WREG.com.

MLGW said its crews are prared to work around the clock to restore any power outages as a result of the storm. You can find their guide to storm preparedness here.

Call 901-528-4465 to report emergencies like downed power lines or gas leaks.
Use My Account or call 901-544-6500 to report outages.

More than 25 million people will be at risk as Tuesday’s potent storm system moves across a region stretching from east Texas to Indiana and Georgia. The national Storm Prediction Center said in its latest storm outlook that affected cities could include New Orleans; Memphis and Nashville in Tennessee; and Birmingham, Alabama.

Parts of Louisiana and Mississippi will be at the highest risk for strong storms Tuesday afternoon and evening, with the possibility of severe weather continuing into Wednesday and moving into Alabama.

It’s rare that federal forecasters warn of major tornadoes with the potential for carving damages across long distances, but they are doing so in Tuesday’s forecasts.

“Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms — some capable of long-tracked tornadoes with EF3+ damage potential — will be possible this afternoon into tonight over parts of the lower Mississippi Valley region and Mid-South,” the Norman, Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center said.

Tornadoes with an EF3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita tornado scale can produce wind gusts of up to 165 mph (266 kph).

Flood watches were issued Tuesday for parts of southeast Mississippi and southwest Alabama, where 3 to 5 inches of rain (8 to 13 centimeters) could lead to flash flooding, the National Weather Service said.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency urged residents to have multiple ways of receiving weather alerts and know in advance where to go to stay safe. The agency also urged people to take pictures of their homes before severe weather strikes. “These photos can be used for insurance purposes and/or possible assistance if your home is damaged in the storm,” the agency said on Twitter.