Central and Eastern U.S. Experience Stormy Start to the Month of May

Although the biggest weather story of the week will likely end up being the flooding rainfall expected for the south-central portions of the country, that does not mean that severe storms will also be something to monitor. Here is a look at who should prepare for the chance of thunderstorm activity over the next few days.

Rocky Few Days of Weather Ahead for Much of Central and Eastern U.S.

There will only be a few regions in the U.S. this week that will be immune to severe weather threats. Severe storms are currently in the forecast for the Northeast, the Southeast, and the south-central portions of the country in the days ahead. Likely impacts with this rash of severe weather include damaging winds, flash flooding, large hail, and tornadic activity.

The stormy conditions are being fueled by unseasonably cool temperatures circulating high in the atmosphere. The warm air rising into this layer of cold temperatures creates the towering clouds that go on to produce heavy rainfall and severe storms with all of their associated impacts.

The south-central U.S. became the first region to experience the impacts of this weather pattern. A rash of storms broke out across western and central portions of Texas on Monday. This line of storms was trudging as far west as eastern New Mexico and over into the Big Bend portion of the Rio Grande River Valley. Forecasters had been warning of this potential setup for days.

By Tuesday, the chance of severe weather will push from western Texas and over into eastern Mississippi. This will bring a good majority of Louisiana, southern Oklahoma, and Arkansas also into the fold. Unlike Monday's event, which did not get started until later in the day, Tuesday's action will take root in the morning hours and linger throughout the day and into the night.

This weather maker will be a major moisture producer. Cities such as Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Shreveport should all expect rainfall amounts of up to 2 inches over the 24-hour period.

Severe storms will also roam the region, impacting metro areas such as Austin. The capital city of Texas is bracing for thunderstorms that could disrupt the morning commute. Highs will reach the mid 80s before falling to about 65 degrees overnight as skies begin to clear up.

Wednesday's Forecast Calls for More Storms to the South

Heading into Wednesday, the severe weather threat will dip to the south and impact many communities along the Gulf Coast. Houston is expecting more clouds and rain to continue the trend from earlier in the week. Storms are possible overnight. You can expect winds out of the east-southeast at 10 to 20 mph, pairing with highs in the low 80s and lows that slide to about the 70-degree mark.

Severe storms are forecast to be more widespread to the east in New Orleans. Those in the Crescent City will want to be ready for storms packing heavy rainfall and winds out of the southeast at 10 to 15 mph. It will be a muggy day with high humidity levels and temperatures that settle in the mid 70s. The overnight forecast is calling for more stormy weather and lows that dip into the upper 60s.

Nearly all of the Gulf Coast will get in on the storms to some degree. Pensacola, Florida, is forecast to see mostly cloudy skies with a mix of rain showers and thunderstorms throughout the day and night. Highs will reach the upper 70s before falling into the upper 60s overnight as the threat of severe weather persists across the beach town.

Storm Predictions for the Northeast

The Northeast is also experiencing severe weather to start the week. Storms initially erupted late Monday in a zone from Lake Erie in Ohio and over into Pennsylvania and New York state. This activity eventually crept farther to the south and into the southeastern corner of Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. This pattern of unsettled weather is being blamed on the Omega blocking pattern that is keeping the rain and storms anchored over this region.

More severe storms are on deck for Tuesday across the Northeast. The highest concentration of storms on Tuesday afternoon and evening in the Northeast will extend from the central and eastern portions of New York and to the south into northeastern Maryland, the northern edge of Delaware, and southern New Jersey.

Mother Nature will not be doing Newark Liberty International Airport any favors on Tuesday. The 14th busiest hub in the country has been grappling with severe delays over the last week due to staffing shortages. Newark, New Jersey, is forecast to see rain showers in the morning that evolve into thunderstorms in the afternoon hours. High winds and small hail are possible in some of the strongest storm cells. The mercury will reach about 67 degrees before falling into the upper 50s overnight. Fog is also likely to develop overnight, potentially complicating flights on Wednesday morning.

Looking ahead to Wednesday, the storms and rainy conditions are likely to move farther to the north and impact some parts of New England. For example, Boston is looking at another day of gray skies and rain showers. Winds will be coming out of the south-southwest at 10 to 15 mph. Temperatures will inch up just slightly from the day before, ending up in the upper 60s with lows forecast to bounce around in the mid 50s.

Also on the East Coast, Florida is experiencing some of this rainy and stormy pattern. A surge of moisture coming over from the Atlantic on one side of the peninsula and the Gulf on the other is supporting the development of thunderstorms. Forecasters are warning that those in the Sunshine State should be prepared for these storms to usher in strong winds, hail, and heavy rain in spurts over the next few days.

Those who see rain in Florida will not likely experience a washout. For example, Tampa is forecast to just see scattered storms on Wednesday afternoon and evening. It will be a warm pattern with highs reaching the low 90s over the next few days before settling in the upper 80s to close out the work week.

Although some of these storms will be hit or miss, it is always a good idea to stay on top of the forecast as it evolves in the days ahead. Keep checking back as we update the forecast of expected storms throughout the week.

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