ACUS02 KWNS 190602
SWODY2
SPC AC 190600

Day 2 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1200 AM CST Thu Feb 19 2026

Valid 201200Z - 211200Z

...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE FRIDAY
EVENING INTO FRIDAY NIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF NORTHERN
MISSISSIPPI...ALABAMA...GEORGIA AND PERHAPS ADJACENT PORTIONS OF
SOUTHERN TENNESSEE...

...SUMMARY...
Widely scattered, but generally weak, thunderstorm activity is
possible Friday east of the lower Great Lakes into Mid Atlantic and
Southeast.  A more substantive increase and clustering of
thunderstorms appears possible across parts of the northern Gulf
Coast states late Friday evening into early Saturday, which may pose
at least some risk for severe hail and localized strong, but
generally sub-severe wind gusts.

...Discussion...
Models continue to indicate that mid/upper flow will undergo renewed
amplification across the central into eastern mid-latitude Pacific
through this period.  This is likely to include a significant short
wave trough digging south-southeast of the Gulf of Alaska (roughly
along 140W longitude), to the east of building ridging across and
north-northwest of the Aleutians.  Farther east, mid-level ridging
is forecast to build inland of the Pacific coast, with remnant
larger-scale downstream troughing developing eastward across the
Rockies through Mississippi Valley.

There remains spread among model output concerning the continuing
strength of a short wave perturbation, which earlier emerged
from this troughing, after it reaches southwestern portions of the
Great Lakes region by the beginning of the period.  It is generally
forecast to become sheared and weaken as it progresses to the south
of a blocking mid-level high centered near southern Hudson Bay, and
downstream troughing digging into the Canadian Maritimes and
northern New England.  However, it appears possible that it may
maintain considerable strength east-northeastward across the lower
Great Lakes region through the day Friday, while its associated
occluding surface cyclone weakens across Michigan.

It continues to appear that secondary surface cyclogenesis will be
slow/subdued from the lee of the Blue Ridge across and
east-northeast of the northern Mid Atlantic, before perhaps
undergoing more substantive deepening offshore Friday night.  The
trailing surface frontal zone probably will tend to stall across the
Carolinas, while retreating northward near the southern edge of the
strong westerlies across the Gulf Coast states by 12Z Saturday, in
advance of a short wave perturbation emerging from the Southwest.

Further low-level moistening associated with return flow off the
Gulf is probable along and south of the front.  However, warm
layers aloft, near the northwestern periphery of mid/upper
subtropical ridging centered across the Bahamas/Caribbean, may tend
inhibit destabilization and thunderstorm development through much of
Friday into Friday evening.

...Gulf Coast States...
While mid/upper forcing for ascent associated with the short wave
trough emerging from the Southwest may remain well to the cool side
of the surface frontal zone, it appears that strengthening
lower/mid-tropospheric warm advection will support potential for
increasing thunderstorm development by late Friday evening and
continue overnight.  There appears a consensus among latest model
output that this will focus across parts of northern Mississippi,
Alabama and Georgia by 12Z Saturday.  While this is likely to become
rooted above a cool, stable near-surface layer, forecast soundings
indicate that an initially warm/dry capping layer above the moist
layer will contribute to convectively unstable thermodynamic
profiles, which may become conducive to severe hail, in the presence
of strong cloud bearing layer shear.  Potential for severe gusts
appears low, but as activity strengthens and perhaps organizes
overnight, gusty surface winds may accompany activity.

..Kerr.. 02/19/2026

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