Forecasters say strong storms could spawn some tornadoes as they bring heavy rain to several states across the South through Friday.
The national Storm Prediction Center says nearly 9 million people in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas are in an enhanced area of risk Wednesday, putting them in the bulls eye for some of the strongest storms.
In Louisiana, the National Weather service has already issued a flash flood watch for northern parts of the state until 7 p.m. Thursday. Forecasters say multiple rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms will produce 2 to 4 inches of rain — and perhaps 6 inches in some parts of the state.
In northern Mississippi, forecasters say thunderstorms will bring rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches. A flash flood watch continues through Thursday evening.