Severe storms to follow spring cold in South

A spring deep freeze lingers Friday morning from Georgia to Connecticut, with two dozen states on freeze and frost alerts.

Dozens of record lows were broken Thursday across the South, including in Huntsville, Alabama at 33 degrees; Memphis, Tennessee, at 37 degrees; and even Little Rock, Arkansas, tied its record low for the day at 38 degrees.

The cold is expected to moderate and in its place, warm weather with severe storms is expected across the entire South for Friday and Saturday.

The severe weather is expected to bring damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes, from Oklahoma City to Dallas, Houston, Alexandria, Louisiana, Jackson, Mississippi, and New Orleans.

The biggest tornado threat Friday will be from east of Dallas into Shreveport and Alexandria, Louisiana, and Jackson, Mississippi.

On Saturday, the severe weather will move into the southeast U.S., from eastern Mississippi into Alabama, Georgia, northern Florida and the Carolinas.

The biggest threat on Saturday will once again be damaging winds, large hail and a few tornadoes.

Meridian, Mississippi and Columbus, Georgia, and Tallahassee, Florida will see the biggest treat for tornadoes on Saturday.

In addition to the severe weather risk, these storms could bring very heavy rain that could produce flash flooding across the Gulf Coast states in the next 48 hours. Some areas could see more than 4 inches of rain in a short period of time.