Memphians, brace yourselves for a soaking wet week ahead. The National Weather Service in Memphis has issued a hydrologic outlook, warning of "several rounds of showers and thunderstorms with heavy rainfall" set to deluge the Mid-South from Monday night through Thursday. The approaching large storm system, churning over the Southwest U.S., is predicted to bring with it an aggregation of deep moisture and dynamic lift, priming our region for a consecutive series of wet encounters.
It's not just the occasional umbrella affair; we're talking significant drenching with cumulative rainfall totals anticipated to range from 4 to 8 inches, and even higher in some localized spots. The downpours, beginning to pelt the area as early as Monday night will persistently menace through midweek, and with this volume of water forecast, authorities are flagging localized flooding of low-lying areas and a crescendoing threat for flash and river flooding as the week proceeds.
"Heavy rainfall this week will saturate soils and likely result in localized flooding of low lying and poor drainage locations," the National Weather Service advised. "As additional rounds of rainfall occur through midweek, the threat of flash flooding and river flooding will also increase." Residents are urged to stay on top of forecast updates and heed any flood watches or warnings, particularly those residing in flood-prone zones.
In terms of specifics, tonight's outlook promises a chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 3am with new rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible, on Tuesday showers and perhaps a thunderstorm could follow with additional precipitation between a half and three quarters of an inch expected patchy fog might also creep in between 8am and 11am. As the system continues its relentless march across the area, Wednesday won't offer a reprieve, with continuous showers and potential thunderstorms, similarly dousing soils that are already overly quenched by the time we reach Thursday, some semblance of normalcy might return post-storm with the emergence of some sunshine, but only after possibly enduring more showers and rumbling thunder in the morning.
This deluge, while routine in some measure for the burgeoning spring, nonetheless serves as a dramatic prelude to the serene sunshine of Friday and Saturday. Residents waiting out the storm can look forward to sunny skies with highs around 68 degrees on Friday and climbing to circa 77 on Saturday as detailed in climate projections by the National Weather Service. While the tempest rages in the present, it is this promised return of clarity and warmth that offers the light at the end of a very wet tunnel.
