Severe flood, wind warning issued for wide area of mid-South

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Meteorologists are warning of the threat of severe storms and possible flash floods across parts of Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana.

National Weather Service Meteorologist William Churchill says several inches (centimetres) of rain fell over a wide area Wednesday afternoon and will continue overnight.

After a rainy month, the entire mid-South region is under a flood watch until noon Thursday.

The weather service says this has been the rainiest February ever recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, with rainfall totalling 11.7 inches (298.7 millimeters) as of Wednesday afternoon. Half of that rainfall occurred just in the past week.

The National Weather Service is warning residents of potentially severe storms through the night with winds potentially reaching 60 mph (100 kph) in some areas.