CNN
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Another tornado threat will take aim at the southern US on Thursday, less than two weeks after at least a dozen tornadoes hit Louisiana and Mississippi.
This time, the tornado threat will center on Texas as a storm system begins to take shape in the southern Plains.
Severe thunderstorms are expected to rumble to life late Thursday morning across Texas and Oklahoma and track east into portions of Louisiana and Arkansas.
The greatest risk of tornadoes will be primarily in southeastern Texas – including parts of the Houston metro area – from late Thursday morning through mid-afternoon. An enhanced risk, or Level 3 of 5, for severe storms is in place for the area on Thursday, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Storms in portions of southwestern Louisiana could also produce a tornado or two Thursday afternoon.
In addition to tornadoes, any severe thunderstorm on Thursday could produce hail, damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and heavy rainfall.
The severe storm threat will linger into Thursday night in Louisiana as the storm system begins to track generally from the Plains into the Mississippi Valley.
Rain will fall across an expansive part of the Mississippi Valley, Midwest and Southeast as the storm pushes north and eastward Thursday night into Friday.
This rain is desperately-needed in the Lower Mississippi Valley, especially in Louisiana and Mississippi, which are battling some of the worst drought in the US.
Louisiana is suffering through its worst drought on record – one which has fed unprecedented wildfires. Exceptional drought – the US Drought Monitor’s highest level – covers almost three-quarters of the state, according to data released last week. Exceptional drought covers more than a third of Mississippi.
One to 3 inches of rain is expected to fall across the Mississippi Valley on Thursday, and an additional 1 to 2 inches could fall Friday in portions of the Gulf Coast and Southeast.
Additional severe thunderstorms are possible, but much less likely, on Friday from Louisiana to Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. A marginal risk level for severe storms, or a Level 1 out of 5, is in place for the area on Friday.
November marks the start of a secondary severe weather season in the South. The clash between cold, Canadian air drilling into the region and lingering warm, moist air over the Gulf of Mexico typically leads to an uptick in damaging thunderstorms from November to December.