The Memphis area is in line for some potentially nasty weather Sunday evening, March 15, that could feature heavy wind gusts and even tornadoes, the National Weather Service said Saturday.

The bad weather should arrive around 5 p.m. and stick around through midnight Sunday, meteorologist Abby Herdliska said. It will likely begin with heavy wind gusts that could surpass 40 mph as well as sustained winds greater than 25 mph, Herdliska said. That is expected to be followed by thunderstorms, hail and possibly tornadoes.

“We’re under enhanced risk, that’s a level 3 out of 5, for numerous severe storms,” Herdliska said. “Once the storms get here, we’re looking at thunderstorms. As it comes through, we’re looking at a few tornadoes as well as damaging winds as the main threats and then hail as a secondary threat.”

“As it comes through, we’re looking at a few tornadoes as well as damaging winds as the main threats and then hail as a secondary threat.”

Abby Herdliska
National Weather Service

Herdliska warned as well that the high temperatures in the upper 70s expected before the storm arrives Sunday will likely contribute to its severity. The temperatures are then expected to plunge as much as 40 degrees to land in the low 30s Sunday night.

“We’ll have lots of energy here as well as lots of breaks in the clouds, so enough time for the surface to heat, to get a better environment (for the storms),” she said. “We’ll have the whole day to have a great environment for severe thunderstorms.”