Severe Storms to Continue Across the Plains and Gulf Coast This Weekend

The threat of severe weather will linger through Mother's Day weekend across much of the central and southern U.S. Repeated rounds of thunderstorms will bring damaging winds, hail, isolated tornadoes, and heavy rain, with the highest flash flood risk along the Gulf Coast. Here is what to expect day by day and how to stay safe.

May Living Up to Its Severe-Weather Reputation

One week into May, the month is already living up to its reputation as the peak of severe-weather season. Activity typically peaks in the South earlier than the Upper Midwest and New England, so portions of the country are still ramping up.

It has already been a volatile week. A swarm of tornadoes in Mississippi late Wednesday destroyed several homes and vehicles and left at least 17 people injured. Forecasters believe roughly a dozen tornadoes came out of just two supercell thunderstorms.

Many of those tornadoes were wrapped in rain, making them harder to see on radar and with the naked eye. The Mississippi event is a reminder that an "outbreak" headline is not required for severe storms to be dangerous — Wednesday produced only about 50 storm reports across a zone from Texas to Alabama.