We may be done with severe weather but it’s not done with us, apparently.
An early-Friday-morning briefing from the National Weather Service at Memphis (NWS) says “a dangerous weather pattern will continue through the weekend. Catastrophic flooding, along with severe storms, will impact the Mid-South.”
This storm system has already caused five deaths in West Tennessee. It has dumped around 4 to 6 inches of rain on Memphis already.
“Generational flooding” is expected in the area as the storm delivers more rain on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This could deliver up to 10 inches of rain to areas along and north of I-40 through the weekend. If “generational flooding” was not enough to concern you, the NWS Memphis also predicts the storm could yield “catastrophic flooding.”
However, Memphis fares better in the NWS outlook for Friday than other areas. The agency predicts moderate chances of severe weather, damaging winds, tornados, large hail, and excessive rainfall compared to other areas.
Saturday, though, brings an increased risk for all of those here, especially excessive rainfall.
Even when the storm system moves on, its effects will remain in the Shelby County watershed. The briefing predicts an above moderate flood risk for the Wolf River. But it predicts an “above major flood” for the Loosahatchie River, which runs through Frayser and more.
Water levels in the Mississippi River began rising Thursday and are expected to continue until April 15th. River levels had sunk to around five feet early Thursday morning. By Friday morning, levels climbed to nearly 13 feet. The NWS predicts river levels will rise continually, peaking at around 36 feet by mid-April.
Gov. Lee Surveys West Tennessee storm damage
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee surveyed storm damage in McNairy County Thursday evening after severe storms ripped through part of West and Middle Tennessee.
Lee immediately issued an Emergency Declaration, which was quickly approved by the Trump Adminstration.
Crews in several Tennessee counties continued to survey storm damage Friday and search sites for evidence of tornadoes.
