First Major Storm Of 2026 Brings Threat Of Heavy Rains And Snow To Millions

A series of powerful storms are expected to impact millions of people across the United States, beginning Thursday (January 8). The first storm will bring severe weather to parts of the central U.S. and Deep South, while the potential for flash flooding develops across the Tennessee Valley on Friday (January 9).

The storm will develop in the Southwest and move into the Midwest, bringing heavy rain and severe thunderstorms. Areas in Oklahoma and Texas will experience damaging wind gusts and hail. The storm will then spread across the Midwest, affecting Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, and reaching the Ohio Valley by evening.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms, affecting over eight million people in the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, including Memphis, Tennessee, Jackson, Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. These areas could see damaging winds, hail, and possibly tornadoes.

A second storm is expected to follow, bringing additional rain to the Midwest, Mississippi, and Tennessee valleys. NOAA's Weather Prediction Center has issued a Level 2 out of 4 threat for flash flooding in Middle Tennessee, northeast Mississippi, and northern Alabama, with 2-3 inches of rain possible.

The rain will extend into the Northeast and New England, affecting cities like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston by Friday morning. Conditions are expected to improve by late Sunday (January 11), with most areas drying out by Monday (January 12).