by tyler | Mar 27, 2023 | CNN, weather
A fresh round of violent storms is battering the Southeast on Monday after a spate of tornadoes and treacherous weather over the weekend killed 26 people in the South.
From Houston to South Carolina, more than 20 million people are at risk of severe storms Monday.
“Large hail, damaging wind gusts, and frequent lightning will remain the primary risks throughout the day today but isolated tornadoes could still be possible,” CNN Meteorologist Haley Brink said.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina until 6 p.m. ET Monday, the National Weather Service office in Atlanta said.
There’s also a threat of dangerous flooding throughout the region.
“Due to the repeated rounds of heavy rainfall over the weekend and today, bouts of heavy rainfall could lead to instances of flash flooding across the Southeast,” Brink said.
Parts of the South repeatedly walloped by recent storms have seen 4 to 6 inches of rain over the last few days – and could get deluged with another 1 to 3 inches Monday.
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Atlanta – which had already been pummeled by hail and up to 2 inches of rain overnight – could get another 2 inches of rain – leading to a risk of flooding.
The South has suffered an onslaught of destructive weather since the weekend. At least 10 confirmed tornadoes struck Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee on Friday night, according to storm surveys by various weather service offices.
At least 25 people were killed in Mississippi – prompting President Joe Biden to approve a disaster declaration for parts of the state. Another storm victim was killed in Alabama.
In Rolling Fork, Mississippi – home to about 2,000 people – an especially violent tornado obliterated houses, businesses and city buildings.
“Homes have been totally demolished,” Rolling Fork Vice Mayor LaDonna Sias told CNN on Monday. She said her own home was also destroyed.
Sias and her husband survived by hiding in a closet just before the EF-4 tornado shredded their house.
“He pushed me in … his closet, and he was able to close the door,” Sias said. “And the minute he closed the door, the force … he was just constantly trying to hold the door so it wouldn’t come open. And you could literally hear the house ripping apart.”
Despite the loss of her own home, Sias said she’s focused on helping other residents – including those who have lost loved ones.
“The hardest part is having to witness someone that has lost a loved one and then having to talk to people that were residents here but have been displaced due to this disaster,” Sias said. “It’s hard. It’s overwhelming. And it’s heart-wrenching.”
Search and recovery efforts were still underway in Mississippi on Sunday as emergency personnel also worked to distribute critical resources, including bottled water, portable restrooms, batteries and fuel, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said.
Some Rolling Fork neighborhoods and businesses were so badly hit there was “not any immediate shelter anywhere” on Sunday, Sharkey County District 1 Supervisor Bill Newsom told CNN.
“Everyone is affected. Entire subdivisions and neighborhoods … some are just wiped away, they’re just not even there,” Newsom said.
“It looks like a battle zone.”
The vice mayor said she is the most concerned about finding support for the families who have lost loved ones and are facing “total devastation.”
“We need to make sure that those people that are displaced, that no longer have any type of structure – they need immediate housing. They need some kind of assistance,” Sias said.
Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been deployed to Mississippi, and the agency will work with state officials to find interim housing for those impacted, the Department of Homeland Security said.
Resident David Brown’s parents, Melissa and Lonnie Pierce, were both killed Friday when a tractor-trailer was picked up by the tornado and thrown on top of their home, CNN affiliate WAPT reported.
“Words can’t express how I’m feeling. I don’t know – broken,” Brown told WAPT.
Brown said his son could have been in the home if he had not picked him up before the storm.
His family spent the weekend sifting through the crushed residence, searching for any salvageable reminder of his parents.
“Honestly, if I can find anything in the rubble,” he said, “it would mean more than anything.”
The National Weather Service in Atlanta has clarified that the Heads Creek Dam in central Georgia has not failed, citing Spalding County emergency management officials.
“There has not been any failure or breach of the Heads Creek Reservoir in Spalding County. We are only experiencing overflow from the excessive rainfall and activating the Emergency Action Plan out of an abundance of precaution,” the weather service office in Atlanta said Monday.
A flash flood emergency is still in place. The weather service said it is coordinating with state and local officials and communicating the potential flood threat in the area.
“Because the Emergency Action Plan was activated, using the word ‘imminent’ and not ‘potential’ failure, the FF Emergency was used,” the weather service said.
Previously the weather service had said a flash flood emergency was in place for areas downstream from Heads Creek Reservoir in western Spalding County after a dam failed, citing a local emergency manager.
Another tornado destroyed dozens of homes Sunday in LaGrange, Georgia, Troup County Emergency Management Director Zachary Steele said.
And many as 100 homes were damaged in the western Georgia city.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency order to provide more state resources for affected communities’ recovery.
by tyler | Mar 27, 2023 | CNN, weather
After a rash of violent storms killed 26 people in the South, some of the same areas will get hammered again by a new round of storms Sunday.
“A few strong tornadoes and very large hail may occur with the most intense storms, particularly from central Louisiana across central/southern portions of Mississippi and Alabama this afternoon and evening,” the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said.
Already, a “large and extremely dangerous tornado” struck Sunday morning south of LaGrange, Georgia, the weather service in Atlanta said.
No fatalities were immediately reported, but at least three people were injured in the storm, officials said.
“It was awful … a lot of homes were destroyed,” LaGrange Mayor-elect Willie T. Edmondson told CNN affiliate WSB.
As many as 100 homes were damaged, with 30 to 40 “completely destroyed,” Troup County Emergency Management Director Zachary Steele said in a news conference Sunday.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency order “following the severe storms and tornadoes that struck this morning,” Kemp tweeted. “As we continue to monitor the weather and work with local partners to address damage throughout the day, I ask all Georgians to join us in praying for those impacted.”
Across the South and Southeast, more than 30 million people are at risk of severe storms Sunday from Houston all the way to the coasts of the Carolinas.
Threats include the possibility of strong tornadoes, hail the size of tennis balls and damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph, the Storm Prediction Center said.
A tornado watch is in effect for parts of Texas and Louisiana until 7 p.m. local time, and a watch is in effect until 11 p.m. local time for eastern Louisiana and central and southern Mississippi, including the cities of Jackson, Meridian and Hattiesburg.
“Large hail and damaging winds will be the main threats initially, but the tornado potential should increase toward and after sunset, when low-level shear will considerably increase.” the Storm Prediction Center said. “This includes the potential for long-lived supercells and strong tornadoes (EF2+).”
A tornado watch is also in effect until 1 a.m. local time in much of central and southern Alabama, including Birmingham and Montgomery.
President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration Sunday for parts of Mississippi after tornado-spawning storms shredded homes over the weekend. At least 25 people in Mississippi were killed, along with another victim in Alabama.
At least 10 confirmed tornadoes struck Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee Friday night, according to several weather service offices.
The presidential declaration allows federal aid to help recovery efforts in Mississippi counties “affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes” Friday and Saturday, the White House said in a statement.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the White House said.
An EF-4 tornado flattened much of Rolling Fork, which endured maximum wind gusts of 170 miles per hour, weather service meteorologist Bill Parker said.
EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes are considered violent and extremely rare, and make up only about 1% of all tornadoes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The storms nearly leveled some neighborhoods and knocked power out for thousands, officials said.
Drone footage showed homes reduced to piles of wood, vehicles tossed around and trees shredded and splintered in the town of about 2,000 people.
The “city is gone,” Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker said.
US Rep. Bennie Thompson came to a similar conclusion.
“The police department is destroyed. City Hall is destroyed,” Thompson said. “The county courthouse is damaged. The fire department is devastated. There’s no grocery store that’s operable in the community.”
The tornado also took out any early-warning system Rolling Fork’s county had, Sharkey County District 1 Supervisor Bill Newsome told CNN’s Jim Acosta.
With another storm possibly on its way, there is “not any immediate shelter anywhere,” he said.
The area is still largely without electricity, and people are depending on local media reports and weather alerts as well as just watching what is going on outside, Newsome said.
As search-and-rescue efforts continued, the community’s only hospital was offline Saturday. Those injured were taken to the nearest hospital over 50 miles away, Thompson said.
“We have been finding several casualties,” said Sharkey County Supervisor Jessie Mason. “It’s just an ongoing process and it’s gonna be a long road ahead.”
Rolling Fork Vice Mayor LaDonna Sias said residents took cover in closets, in tubs and under pillows as the storm roared outside.
“It seemed like forever until that noise stopped,” Sias recalled. Her own home was destroyed in the tornado.
“It was just totally devastating,” she said. “Even though we lost everything, this stuff can be replaced. Material things can be replaced, but to lose a loved one – it was just heart-wrenching.”
Some of the mayor’s friends were among the victims, Walker said.
“I’m not only just the mayor of this community, but I’ve lost personal friends,” Walker said Sunday during a news conference with Gov. Tate Reeves. “I’m also the local funeral director. Now, I’m having to meet my families, those who have lost loved ones and help them make it through this traumatic time.”
Despite the tragic loss to his community, Walker said he’s “thankful for what everybody is doing to help us in this devastating time.”
“This is a Bible belt,” he said. “And we were all taught that a family that prays together, stays together. This is a family, a family of unity, a family of strength, and this is what we need to make this community come back once again.”
How to give or receive help after the Mississippi tornado
The storm carved a wide path of destruction. About 200 miles northeast of Rolling Fork, the school district in Amory, Mississippi, suffered significant damage.
“Most of our athletic facilities were completely destroyed while our main High School building mainly received roof damage,” school district IT director Sam Strickland said Sunday.
“School has been canceled all week while we wait for power to be restored.”
Another Mississippi tornado – which tore through Carroll County and Montgomery County over the weekend – received a preliminary EF-3 rating, the weather service in Jackson said. An EF-3 tornado can carry wind gusts of up to 165 mph.
In Carroll County, three people died in one home, coroner Mark Stiles told CNN. Stiles said it appears they were killed in a tornado.
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency told CNN the agency has sent a team to the state to help with immediate needs and plan for long-term recovery.
“We want to make sure that the state has everything that they need as we work to make sure that no additional lives are lost,” FEMA Administrator Deanne said Criswell said.
Residents of Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe and Sharkey counties can start the disaster assistance process through FEMA by visiting disasterassistance.gov or calling 800-621-FEMA.
Parts of northern Alabama and south-central Tennessee were also pummeled by severe storms this weekend.
At least three tornadoes struck northern Alabama, the weather service’s Huntsville office said.
One man was killed in Morgan County after he was trapped inside his mobile home, said Brandy Davis, director with Morgan County Emergency Management.
An EF-2 tornado touched down near Fayetteville, Tennessee, just north of the Tennessee-Alabama border. Additional storm surveys will be conducted over the next few days.
by tyler | Mar 26, 2023 | CNN, weather
After a rash of violent storms killed 26 people in the South over the weekend, a new “large and extremely dangerous tornado” struck Sunday south of La Grange, Georgia, the National Weather Service in Atlanta said.
The tornado was moving east at about 40 mph on Sunday morning, and forecasters urged anyone in its past to seek safe shelter immediately.
Across the region, more than 20 million Southerners are at risk of severe storms Sunday. A tornado watch has been issued across parts of Alabama, including Montgomery and Troy, and parts of Georgia, including Columbus, La Grange and Macon, until 1 p.m.
Threats include the possibility of strong tornadoes, hail the size of tennis balls and damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph, the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said.
The storms will then push east into the Carolinas by Sunday afternoon, posing a threat of damaging winds. A marginal risk for severe storms also includes parts of central Illinois and Indiana.
And a batch of fresh storms – capable of producing very large hail, tornadoes and fierce winds – is expected to form across parts of eastern Texas on Sunday afternoon before pushing into Louisiana, Mississippi, and eventually Alabama through the afternoon and evening.
President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration Sunday for parts Mississippi on after tornado-spawning storms shredded homes and killed 26 people across the South.
At least 10 confirmed tornadoes struck Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee on Friday night, according to several National Weather Service offices.
The presidential declaration allows federal aid to help recovery efforts in Mississippi counties “affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes” Friday and Saturday, the White House said in a statement.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the White House said.
An EF-4 tornado flattened much of the community of Rolling Fork, which endured maximum wind gusts of 170 miles per hour, weather service Meteorologist Bill Parker said.
EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes are considered ‘violent’ and extremely rare, and make up only about 1% of all tornadoes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The last EF-4 tornado to hit Mississippi was on April 19, 2020.
The storms nearly leveled some neighborhoods and knocked power out for thousands, officials said.
As the tornado tore through Rolling Fork, one thought raced through resident Shanta Howard’s mind: “Lord, I don’t wanna die,” she told CNN affiliate WAPT.
Drone footage showed homes leveled and reduced to piles of wood, vehicles tossed around and trees splintered.
Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker, who leads the town of about 2,000 people, said the “city is gone.”
US Rep. Bennie Thompson came to a similar conclusion.
“The police department is destroyed. City Hall is destroyed,” Thompson said. “The county courthouse is damaged. The fire department is devastated. There’s no grocery store that’s operable in the community.”
As search-and-rescue efforts continued, the community’s only hospital was offline Saturday. Those injured were taken to the nearest hospital over 50 miles away, Thompson said.
“We have been finding several casualties,” said Sharkey County Supervisor Jessie Mason. “It’s just an ongoing process and it’s gonna be a long road ahead.”
Rolling Fork Vice Mayor LaDonna Sias said residents hid from the destructive tornado, taking cover in closets, in tubs and under pillows as the storm roared outside.
“It seemed like forever until that noise stopped,” Sias recalled, describing stepping out to see homes destroyed and hearing people screaming. Sias’ own home was destroyed in the tornado.
“It was just totally devastating,” she said. “Even though we lost everything, this stuff can be replaced. Material things can be replaced, but to lose a loved one – it was just heart wrenching,” Sias said.
How to give or receive help after the Mississippi tornado
Another report of a tornado – which traveled through Blackhawk in Carroll County and Winona in Montgomery County, Mississippi, overnight into Saturday – has received a preliminary EF-3 rating, according to the National Weather Service in Jackson.
In Carroll County, three people died in one home, coroner Mark Stiles told CNN. Stiles said it appears they were killed in a tornado.
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency told CNN the agency has sent a team to the state to help with immediate needs and plan for long-term recovery.
“We want to make sure that the state has everything that they need as we work to make sure that no additional lives are lost,” FEMA Administrator Deanne said Criswell said.
Parts of northern Alabama and south-central Tennessee were also pummeled by severe storms this weekend.
At least three tornadoes struck northern Alabama, the National Weather Service’s Huntsville office said.
One man was killed in Morgan County after he was trapped inside his mobile home, said Brandy Davis, director with Morgan County Emergency Management.
And am EF-2 tornado touched down near Fayetteville, Tennessee, just north of the Tennessee-Alabama border. Additional storm surveys will be conducted over the next few days.
by tyler | Mar 25, 2023 | CNN, weather
At least 24 people were killed, dozens injured and four missing after powerful storms and at least one tornado pummeled the Southeast on Friday night, ripping roofs off homes, nearly leveling some neighborhoods and knocking out power for thousands, officials said.
The greater storm system is pushing east Saturday morning.
President Joe Biden spoke with officials after the deadly tornadoes and said he is “praying for those who have lost loved ones in the devastating tornadoes in Mississippi and for those whose loved ones are missing.”
Biden also pledged to “focus our federal support where it is needed most quickly,” in the statement.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has issued a State of Emergency in all counties affected by the severe storms, according to a release.
“I’m devastated by the destruction and loss of life that these storms have caused,” Reeves said. He promised that the state of Mississippi would do everything to send resources to those in need and help them rebuild.
And Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a tweet that his department will “provide support to the impacted communities” in Mississippi through FEMA.
Mayorkas has spoken to Reeves, Mississippi Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith and Rep. Bennie Thompson about the storm response.
“The loss will be felt in these towns forever. Please pray for God’s hand to be over all who lost family and friends,” Reeves tweeted.
“We have numerous local and state search and rescue teams that continue to work this morning. A number of assets are on the ground to assist those that have been impacted,” the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said.
Search-and-rescue efforts for storm victims began after a confirmed tornado struck the towns of Silver City and Rolling Fork, the latter of which was described by one resident as obliterated.
Rolling Fork, Mississippi, a town of fewer than 2,000 residents who live under the constant threat of flooding, was claimed by the Blues singer Muddy Waters as his hometown.
Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker says his “city is gone.”
“Rescue efforts are happening as we speak,” the mayor told CNN on Saturday morning.
The tornado was moving at 50 mph when it was located over the town just after 8 p.m. CT, the National Weather Service said.
Many buildings and houses in the city were leveled by the storm, according to Walker. “There are some structures that have been left – some are not as damaged as others,” he said.
“We’re going to come back strong. Houses that are torn up can be replaced,” said Walker, who urged residents to stay in place as rescue teams continue to canvas the area.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Brandy Showah told CNN. “This was a very great small town, and now it’s gone.”
One resident said she and several others ran for cover inside a freezer the moment the tornado hit.
“This box is our freezer … this is what saved our lives,” Tracy Harden, owner of Chuck’s Dairy Bar in Rolling Fork said.
And Jeremy McCoy, the constable of Yazoo County, who went to neighboring Rolling Fork to assist with tornado damage, said the town now “looks like a landfill.”
At least 13 deaths were recorded roughly 60 miles northwest of Jackson in hard-hit Sharkey County, home to Rolling Fork, according to county coroner Angelia Easton.
Three others were killed and at least two people are in critical condition in Humphreys County, emergency management director Royce Steed told CNN early Saturday morning.
In Carroll County, three people died in one home, coroner Mark Stiles told CNN, adding that it appears they were killed in a tornado. Additionally, two people were killed in Monroe County in northeastern Mississippi, coroner Alan Gurley said.
The tornado damaged homes and buildings, gutted trees and tore down power lines in the area, Showah told CNN.
Showah’s grandmother’s home suffered roof damage and its air conditioners were ripped out, Showah said, but her grandmother is safe. Most of the trees in her grandmother’s yard have been downed, including one that her grandfather planted 50 years ago.
“My friend was trapped in her home a few houses down, but we got her out,” Showah said, adding that there are still people who live next to her grandmother trapped in their homes. She said all the power in her grandmother’s area has been knocked out.
The severe storms cut a ruinous path across the region, trapping people in their homes and knocking out power in Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi.
A Morgan County, Alabama, man was killed after being trapped inside his mobile home Friday night, according to Brandy Davis with Morgan County Emergency Management.
Downed trees and storm debris litter and blocked roads. Homes and buildings were nearly leveled, with household appliances, furniture and clothes lying where the walls or roofs of homes once stood, videos from the scene show.
The same “large and destructive” tornado was also confirmed near the community of Coila, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a tornado emergency – the most dangerous type of tornado warning – in Rolling Fork, Silver City and nearby Anguilla.
There have been at least 11 tornado reports across Mississippi and Alabama over the last 24 hours, according to the Storm Prediction Center. These reports include the storm that impacted Rolling Fork, Silver City and Winona in Mississippi.
It’s still unclear whether the destruction is the result of one long-tracked tornado or multiple tornadoes.
In response to the desolation in Mississippi, the state has activated its medical support efforts, including additional ambulances and other emergency resources for those affected by the onslaught of deadly storms, Reeves tweeted late Friday.
“Search and rescue is active,” Reeves wrote. “Many in the MS Delta need your prayer and God’s protection tonight.”
Tornadoes or severe storms that occur at night have the greatest potential to be dangerous because people are less likely to be notified in time if they’re asleep.
The threat of storms persisted overnight for certain areas across northern Alabama and middle Tennessee, which faced tornado watches and warnings early Saturday.
The storms knocked out power for more than 83,000 homes and businesses across Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee as of 8:50 a.m. ET, with more than 47,000 outages reported in Tennessee alone, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us.
In Morgan County, Alabama, storm debris stretched for about a mile, according to a tweet from the county’s sheriff’s office.
First responders rescued seven people who were trapped at a group home as trees and power lines collapsed on homes, the sheriff’s office said. The agency also responded to an overturned trailer and an overturned camper with persons trapped inside.
More than 20 million are at risk of severe storms across much of the South and portions of the Midwest on Sunday. The main threats will be damaging winds, hail, and isolated tornadoes as the storm pushes off the East Coast by Saturday evening.
A Level 3 out of 5 risk for severe storms has been issued across portions of eastern Louisiana, south-central Mississippi, and south-central Alabama.
Multiple rounds of storms are possible throughout the day on Sunday. The first round of severe storms is likely to be ongoing across portions of Alabama and Georgia Sunday morning, bringing with it the threat of large hail. These storms will then push east into the Carolinas by Sunday afternoon posing a threat of damaging winds.
Additional storms are expected to form across portions of eastern Texas on Sunday afternoon and are forecast to push into Louisiana, Mississippi, and eventually Alabama through the afternoon and evening.
A Level 1 of 5 threat includes Rolling Fork and Silver City, Mississippi, which were greatly damaged by a tornado Friday night.
Flooding could also pose a threat across portions of the South as an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain is possible through Sunday.
by tyler | Mar 24, 2023 | CNN, weather
A strong storm system Friday will bring the potential for severe weather to 30 million people from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the lower Ohio Valley.
“A tornado outbreak (is) possible across portions of the Mid-Mississippi Valley Friday evening,” the Storm Prediction Center warned.
The storms will be capable of producing strong to intense (EF-3+) tornadoes, with long-track tornadoes possible.
The greatest risk of strong tornadoes includes more than six million people for places like Shreveport, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; and Jackson, Mississippi.
“All those in the ArkLaTex would be advised to be prepared to receive warnings and have a shelter plan in place, with increased urgency directed towards locations with closer proximity to the Mississippi River Valley,” the weather service office in Shreveport warned.
While the most intense storms will occur during the evening hours, any storm through the day could launch a few weak tornadoes.
A tornado warning west of Dallas, lead to a ground stop at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport early Friday morning.
Get the latest forecast for your area here
Damaging winds with gusts potentially over 75 mph and hail are expected through the day and into the overnight hours Friday.
Along with the tornado threat, there will be torrential rainfall that could lead to flash flooding.
The rain is expected across a large swath of the US stretching from Oklahoma to West Virginia.
Nearly 19 million people are under flood watches across at least eight states in the mid-South and central regions.
“A dangerous, flash-flooding and severe weather event is expected tomorrow (Friday), as heavy rainfall focuses along a slow-moving cold front across the Ohio Valley, while tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail develop south of the boundary in the Lower MS Valley and Mid-South,” the Weather Prediction Center warned Thursday afternoon.
The storm’s worst impacts were over the Oklahoma-Missouri border late Thursday, drenching parts of the states with 1 to 3 inches of rain in areas where a flash flood warnings is in effect. Those same areas can expect another 1 to 3 inches of rain overnight.
In addition to the heavy rain, large hail is also a primary threat along with damaging winds and the possibility of tornadoes.
Flood watches extend for more than 1,000 miles from Oklahoma and northern Arkansas eastward to southern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern and central Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. A flood watch means conditions are favorable for possible flooding, and it’s not a strong indication flooding will occur, the National Weather Service explained.
The significant flood threat is expected to shift from northwestern Arkansas to western Ohio throughout the day Friday. Storm totals between 2 and 4 inches of rain are expected, with the heaviest rainfall potentially exceeding 5 inches in total.
