Savannah in for a soaking with 2-3 inches of rain, potential storms
The Savannah area is in for another round of heavy rain and potential storms as a warm front moves in early Tuesday morning.
Gusty winds are the primary concern, but the National Weather Service said Monday that it “can’t rule out an isolated tornado threat, especially along and near the warm front (Tuesday) morning.”
Rainfall totals of 2 to 3 inches are possible through midday Wednesday, the weather service’s Charleston office predicted.
An initial round of showers and storms expected during Monday’s evening commute will continue until around midnight.
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As the warm front moves in, the possibility for thunderstorms will increase from 4 a.m. until midday Tuesday, the weather service said.
Heavier rainfall and an enhanced possibility of storms is likely after 4 a.m. Tuesday as the warm front moves through.
“Severe weather potential will increase with storms in the vicinity of the warm front,” the weather service said. “Additional thunderstorms could develop in the afternoon and evening hours (Tuesday) ahead of a cold front.”
The storms could fuel periods of heavy precipitation like what the Savannah area experienced last week.
Nearly three-quarters of an inch of rain fell during a one-hour period late Thursday afternoon, leading to minor flooding in some areas.
The area’s highest one-day rain total for the year was 3.4 inches on April 11. That pushed Savannah’s cumulative precipitation for January through April to 14.44 inches, which is slightly above average based on National Weather Service statistics dating to 1948.
However, the first four months of the year were nearly 3 degrees warmer than normal.
Overall, six of Savannah’s 10 warmest January-through-April periods have come in the last 12 years. Climate change, tied primarily to continued increases in heat-trapping pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, is driving the overall warming trend.
Looking ahead, the potential for more rain and storms is in the forecast beginning Friday and through the weekend.
John Deem covers climate change and the environment in coastal Georgia. He can be reached at jdeem@gannatt.com
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah faces 2-3 inches of rain, National Weather Service says
