Tornado Threat Looms Over Holiday Travelers: What You Need to Know

Vehicles navigate a rain-drenched highway in Dallas on Thursday.

LM Otero/AP

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LM Otero/AP

Extreme weather scenarios across the U.S. might hinder holiday travel this weekend, as countless individuals embark on journeys to their destinations or head back home. The National Weather Service predicts tornadoes and thunderstorms, substantial rainfall, and winds across numerous areas.

A surge of severe thunderstorms with tornado potential is anticipated Saturday in sections of East Texas, the Lower Mississippi Valley, the Tennessee Valley, and central Gulf Coast states. Cities like Baton Rouge and Shreveport, La.; Mobile and Tuscaloosa, Ala.; as well as Jackson, Miss., are notably at risk. Flash floods, wind gusts equivalent to tropical storm strength, and hail reaching up to two inches in size are possible in various locations.

National Weather Service forecaster Frank Pereira indicates that long-lived tornadoes could impact certain areas from the Texas-Louisiana border through northern and central Louisiana, extending into parts of Mississippi.

“They could persist on the ground for an extended period and may be very powerful tornadoes, categorized as EF3, which is quite significant,” he stated. “Once they make contact with the ground, they remain there and can inflict damage over considerable distances.”

The likelihood of hazardous storms and tornadoes arises as many individuals travel for the holidays. The automobile association AAA estimates a record 119 million travelers are expected by New Year’s Day. Nearly 107 million people will traverse the nation’s roadways. Approximately 8 million are projected to fly, with many passing through the busiest airline terminals in the nation.

As of Saturday morning, over 3,000 U.S. flights experienced delays, as per FlightAware.com.

In portions of western Oregon and northern California, substantial rainfall and strong winds are forecasted for this weekend, with the most severe conditions expected on Saturday. Pereira notes that the atmospheric river is likely to reappear in the region, potentially leading to flash flooding and other complications.

“By Monday and Tuesday, we should see conditions starting to subside. There may be a slight increase in activity later in the week, particularly Tuesday and Wednesday, but that upcoming round does not seem as intense as what is taking place right now,” he remarked.

In the meantime, a white New Year seems unlikely. Aside from higher altitudes in the West, weather forecasters are not predicting snowfall. Conversely, significantly above-average temperatures are anticipated throughout much of the country in the coming days.