Latest Forecast Calls for Storms Across Central and Eastern U.S.

About 200 million Americans will be caught up in the crosshairs of severe weather threats over the next few days. Forecasters are warning that severe storms packing high winds, hail, and long-lived tornadoes are looming for the central and eastern U.S. Here is a look at this volatile forecast.

Great Lakes, Ohio and Tennessee Valleys Next in Line for Stormy Conditions

A train of storms is bearing down on a zone from the Great Lakes and into the Ohio and Tennessee valleys. The stormy conditions will linger through the end of the week, putting millions of people at risk. Although the storms will be sporadic in nature, they will be capable of producing catastrophic damage if they reach their full potential.

A front moving to the southeast will find warm and moisture-rich air, working to fuel the chance of severe weather just in time for the weekend. The storms got started on Thursday, unleashing powerful winds across the Upper Midwest and into the Ohio Valley.

The heavy rain accompanying these storms could also overly saturate the ground. This will make trees more vulnerable to being knocked over once the winds pick up speed. As a result, forecasters are predicting that the weather maker could result in widespread power outages. The greatest risk of high winds over the next few days will be in the mid-Atlantic and the Appalachians.

Friday's Storm Forecast

The highest risk of tornadic activity on Friday will be in the area from the middle Mississippi Valley and to the east into the Ohio Valley and portions of the Tennessee Valley. The storms are predicted to start off as separate cells before merging into one or more solid lines of activity. This movement could present the danger of long-lived storms that are capable of producing rain-wrapped tornadoes.

The most severe storms are expected during the late afternoon, evening, and overnight hours on Friday. The primary zone of impact will be across parts of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. However, other states could also see some of the action at this time.

The line of storms is forecast to stretch to the north and the east by later Friday night. This will put areas such as upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and western portions of North Carolina in the line of fire. While the storms could lose some of their punch by the time they reach this far, there may be enough energy left to generate strong winds, frequent bouts of lightning, and torrential rain.

Looking at a few specific forecasts for Friday, St. Louis will enjoy dry conditions early, however, storms are looming for the afternoon hours. Highs will hover in the mid 80s before dipping into the upper 50s overnight. It will be a breezy day in the Arch City with winds out of the south-southwest at 10 to 20 mph.

Cincinnati will also wake up to dry conditions in the morning with the threat of storms increasing as the day progresses. The city will be at risk of experiencing damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes in the latter part of the day and not the evening hours. It will be a warm day with highs of about 85 degrees and lows that bottom out in the low 60s. Winds will clock in at 10 to 20 mph from the southwest.

Lexington, Kentucky, will also be at the heart of the activity on Friday. The metro area is bracing for scattered storms throughout the day and night. Highs will top out at about 80 degrees before bouncing around in the mid 60s overnight. Breezy conditions will abound with winds out of the southwest at 10 to 20 mph.

A similar situation will unfold in Evansville, Indiana. The city in the southern part of the Hoosier State will see partly cloudy skies with a good chance of severe storms packing high winds and hail later in the day. Winds will be out of the south-southwest at 15 to 25 mph while highs will climb into the mid 80s. Overnight lows will land at about 63 degrees with the chances of severe weather diminishing at this time.

On the eastern fringe of the storm system, the thunderstorms are forecast to reach places such as Morgantown, West Virginia, by the end of the day. You can expect a high of about 82 degrees and lows that hover in the mid 60s in the college town.

Weekend Forecast Calls for More Chances of Severe Weather

The threat of severe weather will not ease as the weekend begins. The greatest danger of thunderstorms on Saturday will be from central Texas and Oklahoma and to the east into the Carolinas. To the north, the storms will expand from the mid-Atlantic in the area from Interstate 95 and to the coast. The activity will also likely impact New York's Hudson Valley and into western portions of New England.

This impact zone means that major metropolitan areas such as Washington, D.C., Baltimore, New York City, and Philadelphia could see a messy Saturday. The storms that ignite on this day will usher in powerful winds, hail, and the chance of flooding rain. However, the risk of tornadoes will be lower when compared to Thursday and Friday.

New York City is forecast to wake up to rain showers on Saturday. The arrival of some sunshine in the afternoon will bring the mercury up into the low 80s, a change upwards of about 10 degrees from Friday. The Big Apple is forecast to see overnight lows of about 62 degrees on Saturday.

The rain will take longer to arrive in places farther north. For instance, Boston is not expecting the moisture machine to fire up until the afternoon or evening hours. Saturday's forecast is calling for a high of about 68 degrees, lows that dip into the upper 50s, and winds out of the south-southeast at 10 to 15 mph.

Plains States Back in the Fold for Storms by Sunday

By Sunday, the focus of the nation's storm activity will shift into the central and southern Plains states. All modes of severe weather will be present for Sunday's activity. Flash flooding will be the primary threat due to the moisture associated with this system. Storms that form in this part of the country generally have the capability of pulling up immense moisture from the Gulf, creating more potent rain bands.

At this point, it looks as if places such as Oklahoma City will bear the brunt of Sunday's activity. The capital city is bracing for severe storms developing in the afternoon as temperatures inch up into the upper 80s. As has been the case lately throughout the central U.S, it will be another windy day with winds predicted to reach speeds of 15 to 25 mph. Temperatures will remain moderate overnight, lingering in the low 70s.

Looking ahead to next week, the threat of severe weather will ramp up again across the central part of the country. The long-range forecast indicates that another potentially destructive outbreak of storms is likely for the nation's heartland during the early part of the week. This will be a situation that forecasters will continue to monitor in the days ahead.

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