National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Widespread Rain from Texas to the Central Appalachians; Heavy to Excessive Rainfall in Southern California and the Southwest

Scattered thunderstorms and widespread showers are expected from the Texas coast to the central Appalachians today. Heavy to excessive rainfall will continue in southern California into the Desert Southwest through Saturday. Heavy rain will pose a risk of flash flooding, especially across burn scar and urbanized regions. Read More >

3/19/2003 - Event Summary

At the surface, a strong area of low pressure was centered over eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas on the morning of the 19th. A stationary front extended from the low into the Ohio Valley. A strong cold front trailed from the low into northeastern Arkansas and Mississippi. Storms developed in the late morning into the early afternoon hours as the cold front pushed near and east of the I-65 corridor. Some of these as seen below produced damaging winds, hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter, and tornadoes.  

 
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March 19th, 2003 Surface Analysis at 7 AM March 19th, 2003 500 mb Analysis at 7 AM