Threat of Severe Storms, Flood Watch through Christmas Day

ATLANTA - The same storm system that spawned tornadoes across the Southeast sparked tornado warnings in parts of the FOX 5 viewing area early Thursday morning. The FOX 5 Storm Team is continuing to monitor the situation with the possibility of severe weather through Christmas Day. 

RELATED: Get the latest forecast from the FOX 5 Storm Team

A huge plume of moisture over the southeastern U.S. coming from the Pacific Ocean (the “Pineapple Express”) will result in several waves of rain between now and the end of the week. Between now and early Friday morning, an average of 3 to 5 inches of rain will fall – with some isolated higher amounts. 

FLOOD WATCH: We are under a Flood Watch until 7 a.m. Christmas Day to account for the potential flooding. 

If you have travel planned to or through the northern half of Alabama, Mississippi, or through Tennessee, you need to be especially alert since that is where the atmospheric support for more numerous severe storms will be. We can get a few here in north and middle Georgia, too.  And any type of severe weather will continue to be a possibilty. Damaging winds would be the main threat, but hail or even an isolated tornado is possible.  Make sure you have a way to get warnings no matter where you will be (the free FOX 5 Storm Team app will do that).  And review where you’ll go to be safe if a warning is issued.

By Thursday afternoon, we will still have occasional rain and thundershowers, but also record warmth!  Highs will reach the low to mid 70s that afternoon.  Christmas Day will be equally warm and record-breaking with fewer showers and otherwise mostly cloudy skies.