Tornado Watch Issued for Parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and East Texas

The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center has issued Tornado Watch 186 for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and far east Texas until 11 p.m. CDT Wednesday, warning that “a few tornadoes likely” and that “a couple intense tornadoes” are possible.

The watch was issued at 2:10 p.m. CDT by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. It covers central into southeast Louisiana, central and southern Mississippi, and far east Texas. The alert is in effect through Wednesday evening, a period when severe weather can escalate quickly across a broad region.

The center said the watch’s primary threats also include scattered large hail, with isolated hailstones up to 2.5 inches in diameter, and scattered damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph. Those hazards can cause damage well away from any tornado, including broken windows, vehicle damage and downed trees.

Forecasters said thunderstorms were expected to develop and intensify Wednesday afternoon and continue through the evening. The tornado threat is tied most strongly to stronger supercells, a type of rotating thunderstorm that can produce the most severe weather. The Storm Prediction Center said, “A strong tornado risk will probably develop late this afternoon into the evening as low-level wind shear increases.” A status report posted during the watch said the severe weather threat was continuing while the watch remained in effect.

Early May is typically an active stretch for severe weather in the lower Mississippi Valley, which is why a regional watch like this draws close attention. Still, a tornado watch is not the same as a tornado warning. A watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms across a large area for several hours. Warnings are issued later by local National Weather Service offices for smaller areas when a tornado or severe storm is imminent or already occurring. People in the watch area should keep a close eye on updated forecasts and be ready to act quickly if warnings are issued later Wednesday.