More Storms Expected to Take Aim at Central U.S. to Start the Week

It is going to be a fiery start to the new week across a large portion of the central U.S. Forecasters have been predicting for days that all of the ingredients needed for a widespread severe weather outbreak will be in place on Monday. Here is a look at this stormy forecast.

Stormy Conditions to Migrate Farther East on Monday

The High Plains were at the center of the weekend storm activity. There have been daily occurrences of large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes over the last few days in this region. The western edge of the High Plains, stretching from West Texas and up into the Dakotas, was particularly active at the end of the weekend.

The threat of storms will creep farther to the east on Monday, bringing an end to the risks for the High Plains for the short term. However, the news is not as good for the areas to the east as forecasters caution that Monday is likely to be the peak of activity for the Upper Midwest and some parts of the northern Plains. Potential impacts include large hail, powerful winds, and destructive tornadoes.

The storms will come to life on Monday afternoon thanks to an area of warm and humid air circulating over the Midwest. A fast-moving jet stream will amplify the storms as they erupt, supporting the development of tornadoes.

The area of greatest impact is forecast for Iowa and into the southeastern corner of Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin. This zone encompasses the major metro areas of Minneapolis and Des Moines.

Rapid City, South Dakota, will see the chance of storms earlier in the day before the system moves to the east. The biggest storyline in this part of the northern Plains will be the winds whipping around at 20 to 30 mph from the north-northwest. An advancing cold front will bring the morning high of about 57 degrees down into the mid 40s by the latter part of the day. Overnight lows will slide into the mid 30s in Rapid City as the cold front becomes more entrenched.

Sioux City, Iowa, could also see a rocky morning commute with thunderstorms expected to erupt in the morning. Like the rest of the region, winds will be a concern, coming in at 20 to 30 mph out of the south-southwest. The mercury will hit the mid 80s prior to the arrival of the cold front, eventually falling to about 40 degrees.

Minneapolis will be under the umbrella of impacts in the afternoon and evening hours. The Twin Cities should prepare for intense thunderstorm activity and the chance of tornadoes. Highs will reach about 73 degrees before falling into the mid 40s after the front arrives. It will also be a breezy day wth winds out of the south at 15 to 25 mph.

Meteorologists are particularly concerned about the chance of long-lived tornadoes late Monday. Some of these twisters could spin up under the cover of darkness, making them even more dangerous. This threat makes it important for residents to enable all weather notifications on smartphones before going to bed.

Looking Ahead to Tuesday's Forecast

The chance of tornadoes will begin to dissipate after midnight on Monday as the temperatures fall. However, some storms could sneak into the Chicago area before the sun comes up on Tuesday. Rain could also slow down motorists trying to get to work in the Windy City.

The stormy conditions will push along ahead of the cold front throughout the day on Tuesday, reaching the Ohio Valley before pushing into the interior Northeast. Cincinnati is forecast to see rain showers in the morning, intensifying into thunderstorms later in the day. You can also expect a high of about 81 degrees, lows that slide into the upper 50s overnight, and winds out of the southwest at 10 to 20 mph.

The Great Lakes region will also be a target of this storm system on Tuesday. The storms will take longer to reach places such as Cleveland with the greatest risk happening in the evening hours. The city is expecting a high of about 78 degrees, lows that plummet into the mid 40s, and winds that clock in at 20 to 30 mph from the southwest.

This will also be the situation in Buffalo with storms presenting a threat in the afternoon and evening hours. The city along the shores of Lake Erie will also see strong winds that reach speeds of 20 to 30 mph.

Looking at a completely different area of the country, more storms could erupt in the zone from northern Texas and up into Oklahoma later in the day on Tuesday. Although this chance of severe weather will not be as intense or widespread as Monday's risks, it will be a weather event to take seriously.

Wednesday's Peak Activity Shifts Back to the West

Moving into Wednesday, the line of storms will impact a smaller geographical area. Wednesday's forecast is calling for storms for central Texas and up into Oklahoma to the north and over into portions of Arkansas and Louisiana to the east. A frontal boundary setting up across this part of the south-central U.S. will serve as the anchor for storms to form and intensify.

For instance, Dallas is in store for a stormy Wednesday with persistent thunderstorms throughout the day and evening. The metroplex will see the temperatures fall from the low 80s for a high on Tuesday to readings that max out in the low 70s on Wednesday. Overnight lows will land at about the 60-degree mark while winds will be out of the south-southeast at 10 to 15 mph.

The long-range forecast is predicting that a calmer weather pattern will settle in across the central U.S. as the calendar flips from April to May. Although the threat of storms will not be inconsequential, it is likely to be quieter than the activity of the last few weeks. Instead, the greatest chance of severe weather will shift to the east and over to the Atlantic coastline starting on Thursday.

The biggest concern for the central U.S. by the end of this week will be an elevated chance of river flooding. Recent bouts of heavy rain are still making their way downstream to the Mississippi Delta region, increasing the risk of flooding in the days ahead.

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