December Storms Blitzing Eastern U.S.

The final weekend of 2024 is going out with a bang as an expansive area of low pressure sweeps across the Eastern U.S. today. This same system produced several tornado reports across the Deep South yesterday, and it takes aim at the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic today.

As previously mentioned, a strong area of low pressure will be the catalyst for robust thunderstorm development today. In fact, storms continue to fire this morning across portions of the Southeast as a strong cold front sweeps through. Along this front, wind gusts in excess of 50 mph, large hail and even a few tornadoes will be possible today.

The government’s Storm Prediction Center has placed a Slight Risk for severe weather to occur from northern Florida into the Carolinas today, including Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Fla., Savannah, Ga., Columbia, S.C., and Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C. Here, the greatest chance for dangerous thunderstorm wind gusts will be found, including a few tornadoes. 

Tornado Watches are in place across northern Florida, part of southeastern Georgia, and much of eastern South Carolina. There is also a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect for northeastern North Carolina into central and southeastern North Carolina. Cities included in one of these severe-related watches include Jacksonville, Fla., Savannah, Ga., Columbia and Myrtle Beach, S.C., Charlotte, Wilmington and Raleigh, N.C.

Although not in the main area of concern for today, separate risks for sporadic severe thunderstorms cannot be ruled out. Areas far north as Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio, or even as far south as Jacksonville or in Florida's Key West, are susceptible to isolated severe storms. Charleston, W.Va., and Richmond and Virginia Beach, Va., could also see strong gusty storms develop later today.

Even though it is late December, remember what to do during severe weather, and have a plan to get to your safe place even at night. If you are visiting friends or family in the threatened area, try to familiarize yourself with where the best place to go during a tornado. Know the difference between a watch and a warning, and follow the storm threat on WeatherBug throughout the weekend.