Central U.S. Will be the Focal Point of Early Week Severe Weather

While all attention will be focused on the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast in the coming days, another severe weather outbreak is going to steal the headlines in the central U.S. by the beginning of the week. It is never too early to prepare for the next onslaught of storms. Here is what you need to know about what is on deck

Storms Will Shift Back to the Central U.S. After Impacting the East Coast

The central U.S. will be back under the threat of severe storms by the early part of next week. The latest string of storms will come on the heels of what is expected to be a widespread outbreak on Friday night across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys and across parts of the Midwest.

The focal point of the storms will shift to the east on Saturday, stretching as far north as northwestern New England and as far south as Texas. Sunday's severe weather will be back over the southern and central Plains. The potential impacts of these storm cells will be large hail, high winds, flash flooding, and lightning strikes. Isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out with some of the strong cells.

As detailed earlier, Saturday's storms are expected to take aim at the busy Interstate 95 corridor from the Carolinas and up into the Northeast. Portions of Interstate 85 in the southeastern U.S. will also be at risk of having outdoor activities disrupted on Saturday. Lastly, another cluster of storms is forecast to set up across the south-central U.S. on Saturday, impacting cities such as Dallas, San Antonio, and Little Rock.

Dallas will be on the southern edge of the storm activity on Sunday. The metroplex is anticipating cloudy skies with storms igniting in the afternoon hours. The storms will be fueled by temperatures rising into the upper 80s. It will also be a breezy day with winds out of the south at 10 to 20 mph. The storms will persist into the evening hours before clearing out overnight as temperatures drop into the mid 70s.

Storm Train Will Chug Along Next Week

Forecasters are warning that the weekend storms may seem docile compared to what is expected to fire up early next week. A storm that originated in the Pacific Ocean is forecast to move across the interior West over the weekend, eventually making its way to the central U.S.

The system will pull up moisture from the Gulf when it ejects out of the Rockies. The result will be several days of stormy conditions centered on the Plains. The line of storms will move into the Mississippi Valley by the middle of the week.

Monday's forecast is calling for the worst of the storms to train over a zone from central Texas and to the north into eastern and central South Dakota. The highest concentration of storms is expected in central Oklahoma and up into the southeastern corner of Nebraska.

There will be a number of major metro areas that will get caught in the crosshairs of potentially dangerous weather. Wichita, Kansas, could see a continuation of Sunday's stormy activity on Monday. At the very least, the city in the south-central portion of the Sunflower State will see the return of rain overnight. Monday's forecast for Wichita is calling for a high of about 84 degrees, winds out of the south-southwest at 10 to 20 mph, and overnight lows that settle in the mid 50s.

After a string of calm days, Kansas City will once again be dodging rain showers and thunderstorms beginning late Sunday. Monday is setting up to be a volatile day of weather in the metro area that straddles both Kansas and Missouri. The first day of the work week will feature the potential of severe storms throughout the day and night. Highs will bounce around in the mid 70s before landing at the 60-degree barrier after the sun goes down. It will be quite breezy in Kansas City with winds clocking in at 10 to 20 mph out of the south.

Tuesday's Storms Will Expand to the East

Heading into Tuesday, the greatest threats will shift to the east and envelop places such as southern Iowa, central Illinois, and down to the south into northern Louisiana and the northeastern edge of Texas. This trajectory will put the Ozark Mountains right in the middle of the impact zone.

For instance, Branson, Missouri, is bracing for scattered storms that could deliver gusty winds. Temperatures will cool about 10 degrees from Monday's highs, topping out at just 72 degrees on Tuesday in Branson. You can expect overnight lows to dip into the mid 50s. It will be even cooler in the resort town on Wednesday with a forecast high of 63 degrees under partly cloudy skies.

As with the storms earlier in the week, residents in this zone should prepare for all types of severe weather on Tuesday. The highest odds of tornadic activity will be across Arkansas and the southern fringe of Missouri.

The severe weather threat will continue to move to the east as the week progresses. By Wednesday, the greatest concentration of unsettled weather will be across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys and up into the Great Lakes.

A deep dive in the jet stream will hit the central U.S. on Friday, introducing the strong winds high in the atmosphere over the Plains and the Midwest. This movement will send the warm and moist air from the Gulf up into the Central U.S., where it will meet with the active jet stream to create favorable conditions for storms to ignite.

This is a dynamic forecast with many moving parts, making it important to keep on top of it as updates are provided.

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