NEW ORLEANS (AP) - After weeks of punishing drought, the Deep South will get some much-needed precipitation in at least some areas this week, according to weather officials.
A cold front approaching Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia will bring thunderstorms to the region, and some of them could be severe, according to forecasters at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.
The weather service said damaging winds will be the primary threat, with tornadoes also possible. Some storms could produce hail that could at times be severe.
A tornado watch for western and northern Louisiana was in effect until Monday evening.
The forecast for rain is giving hope to firefighters battling blazes across the South, including one in the northwest corner of South Carolina. The South Carolina Forestry Commission hopes to contain the Pinnacle Mountain fire by the middle of next week.
The rain water should be soaked up quickly because of severe drought conditions across the Deep South, forecasters said.
Forecaster Anna Wolverton of the National Weather Service in Jackson, Mississippi, said the northern part of the state could get between 3 and 3 inches of rain.
With drought conditions across much of the Deep South, Wolverton said "any amount will help."
"Most of the state had a wet spring and summer, but going into the fall months we are about 9 inches below normal."
As the storm system moves further to the southeast, Alabama was expected to see severe weather by Monday night.
The National Weather Service in Birmingham said in statement Monday that the limited severe weather risk would be west of a line from Alexander City to Montgomery.
The weather service said severe thunderstorms, including wind gusts up to 60 mph and a possibility of tornadoes, were possible from 7 p.m. Monday through 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Central Alabama can expect severe weather beginning Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday afternoon.
High wind warnings were issued for mountains in northern Georgia through Monday night.
Scattered thunderstorms were possible over north and portions and west central Georgia on Monday night, forecasters said.