As Storm Francine moves well inland over the southern United States, hazards to life and property will persist until the end of the week as rain falls and violent thunderstorms erupt. Meteorologists warn of flooding, severe winds, and tornadoes.

“Francine will continue to lose wind energy as it spends the remainder of its life over land,” Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane specialist, said. “However, as it transitions to a tropical rainstorm, it will still be capable of producing life-threatening conditions.”

The most immediate of these risks will be intense thunderstorms, which can spawn tornadoes.

A westward sweep of dry air is frequently a vital ingredient for rotating thunderstorms that might produce tornadoes, and this threat will extend from the central Gulf coast to locations as far north as Tennessee and east as Georgia and northern Florida through Thursday night.

Waterspouts are also possible along the northeastern Gulf Coast through Friday.

Aside from tornadoes and waterspouts, the severe wind gusts associated with Storm Francine will become increasingly isolated throughout Friday. Nonetheless, towering showers and thunderstorms can bring gusts down to the ground, strong enough to break tree limbs and cause power outages across most of Mississippi and Alabama until Thursday night.

Francine’s drenching rains will have a broader impact. Some of the rain will be beneficial since much of the south-central area, the deep Southeast, and a portion of the Midwest have been facing increased dryness and drought conditions since the end of the summer.

Bands of heavy rain are expected, with many inches of rain falling through Friday and beyond. Because Francine is likely to stall due to high pressure and a sea of dry air to the north, steering breezes of its remaining moisture will tend to be spaced out in a narrow zone for hundreds of miles in a northwest-to-south direction.

A broad region of 1-4 inches of rain will stretch northward into the middle Mississippi and lower Ohio valleys, with a pocket of 4-8 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts concentrated in Mississippi. This is enough rain to cause flooding in low-lying and urban areas and along small streams and secondary rivers.

Water levels in the Tennessee, Ohio and lower Mississippi rivers will rise as the runoff moves downstream. Many sections of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers are deficient, causing challenges for tub and barge operations; therefore, increasing water levels would be advantageous.

Moisture from Storm Francine will become intertwined with a developing band of humidity along the Carolina coast connected with a future tropical downpour, maybe a depression or full-fledged tropical storm.

Moisture moving off the Atlantic Ocean ahead of the upcoming tropical cyclone might cause many inches of rain to fall farther east than Francine produced. Where this tiny region of extreme rain forms is essential, as life-threatening flash floods could occur days after Francine’s death.

Depending on its exact orientation, the band of severe rain and flooding could hit some major cities, including Charlotte, North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina; Chatanooga, Tennessee; Huntsville, Alabama; and Atlanta. However, only a few places are anticipated to see the most substantial and hazardous rainfall.

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