Multiday severe weather outbreak, including potential for strong tornadoes, begins Monday in the South

A multiday severe weather outbreak with tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding will impact a large portion of the south-central and southeastern U.S. beginning Monday and continuing through Wednesday.

A strong southward dip in the jet stream will sweep into the Southern Plains on Monday as a surface low-pressure system intensifies over Texas and tracks eastward across the state.

Warm, humid air will surge northward from the Gulf of Mexico out ahead of this storm system and clash with cooler, drier air over the Rockies.

The result of this setup will be large amounts of instability in the atmosphere, causing numerous severe storms to develop beginning Monday afternoon and continuing overnight, with additional rounds of severe weather expected Tuesday and Wednesday as the area of low pressure tracks eastward through midweek.

In some areas, severe thunderstorms could spawn nighttime tornadoes, so make sure you have multiple ways of receiving potentially life-saving weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service.

Here's what to expect each day through Wednesday. Be sure to download the FOX Weather app for the latest forecast and weather alerts for your exact location, plus our channel's 24/7 livestream.

Through Monday night

An area of rain and thunderstorms will overspread much of the Central and Southern Plains and the Mississippi Valley through Monday night.

The highest severe weather threat will stretch from central and eastern Texas into western Louisiana and southern and southwestern Arkansas. This includes the cities of Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin, Texas.

Several tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and very large hail are all threats from these dangerous storms. A few strong tornadoes are possible, especially in the area shaded in the darkest red contour on the map below.

Flash flooding is also possible in many of the same locations at risk of severe storms.

Tuesday-Tuesday night

The severe weather outbreak will likely be ongoing Tuesday morning and will continue through the day and persist into Tuesday night, though the threat will be focused farther east than Monday.

The highest threat of severe thunderstorms will stretch from Louisiana into most of Mississippi and Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle. This includes the cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Louisiana, Jackson and Hattiesburg in Mississippi, Tuscaloosa in Alabama and Pensacola in Florida.

Several tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and large hail are all likely. Some of the tornadoes have the potential to be strong.

Heavy rainfall capable of flash flooding is also possible from the South into parts of the Ohio Valley.

Wednesday-Wednesday night

The risk of severe storms is expected to continue into Wednesday, with the threat again displaced farther east.

Areas from northern Florida into southeastern Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas and southern Virginia will have the highest risk of severe thunderstorms. This includes the cities of Tallahassee in Florida, Atlanta, Charleston in South Carolina and Raleigh/Durham and Charlotte in North Carolina.

A couple of tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and large hail are all threats from Wednesday's storms.

Additionally, a soaking rain will overspread a large portion of the Southeast and Northeast.

Flash flooding threat

Many areas from the Plains to the Mississippi and Ohio valleys are expected to pick up more than an inch of rain through Wednesday, with locally higher totals between 2 and 5 inches not ruled out in some spots.

This heavy rainfall could trigger flash flooding, especially where any heavier bands of rain stall for a period of a few hours or more.

The National Weather Service has issued Flood Watches for portions of the Deep South to alert residents of this threat of heavy rain.

Now is the time to prepare for this week's severe weather and flash flooding threats if you live in the South. Click here for a list of tips to guide you through the preparations.

Read more of this story on FOX Weather.

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