Southern deluge: Spring downpours bring flood risk

A strong spring storm streaking across the South and Southeast will keep the flood risk elevated through midweek.

As our WeatherRadar shows, a long swath of downpours extend from the central Gulf Coast northward to the Great Lakes.

This system will continue to move eastward today and It will tap abundant Gulf of Mexico moisture. This will feed strong thunderstorms and downpours throughout the central Gulf Coast, Florida Panhandle. southern Alabama and southwestern Georgia.

Several inches of rain will fall on the saturated soil, increasing the risk of flood. Flood watches have been issued across the eastern Florida Panhandle into southwestern Georgia. This includes Pensacola, Tallahassee and Panama City.

Spring breakers won't catch a break once the rain ends. High surf and rip currents are likely through the rest of the day as winds kick up.

The heavy rain will move into the Southeast and northern Florida on Wednesday, keeping the risk of flooding elevated. Track the rain using our WeatherRadar.