As cleanup continues across the Chattanooga region from Easter Sunday's deadly tornadoes, forecasters are calling for a "moderate risk" for strong storms overnight Wednesday into Thursday - once more a nighttime system - with wind and hail as another front pushes through the region.
"After a refreshingly cool start this morning we will warm back into the low- to mid-70s this afternoon with clouds increasing through the day," WRCB-TV Channel 3 meteorologist David Karnes wrote in his weather blog Wednesday.
"Late tonight we will have rain showers developing with showers and storms moving through during the early morning hours of Thursday," he said. "They will become much more scattered as we move through the afternoon and evening."
Karnes predicted about an inch of rain with the system with the best chance of severe weather being well to the south of the region.
FIVE-DAY FORECAST
Thursday A 90% chance of storms in early morning hours giving way to scattered showers through the day High 72 Low 54 Friday Mostly sunny High 75 Low 56 Saturday Showers and storms with 50% chance of rain High 68 Low 58 Sunday Mostly sunny High 66 Low 49 Monday Mostly sunny High 72 Low 47 Source: WRCB-TV Channel 3
"We are officially under a 'marginal' to 'slight' risk for severe storms in our area, primarily south of Chattanooga," Karnes said.
Putting the risk into percentages, the chance for tornadoes is 2%, damaging winds 5%-15% and hail 5%, according to Karnes.
"Friday will be very nice," he said, looking past the stormy day on Thursday. "We will have highs in the mid-70s with scattered clouds. We will get a few showers and storms Saturday also."
The National Weather Service in Morristown, Tennessee, has issued a "hazardous weather outlook" for the overnight hours for more than 30 counties in East Tennessee and more counties in Southwest North Carolina and Southwest Virginia. Gusts of 40 mph can be expected in higher elevations.
Weather service records show the Chattanooga area has received nearly 5 inches of rain for the month of April, 4.8 inches falling since the tornado outbreak April 12.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.