Nashville, Louisville and Cincinnati Brace for Severe Storms

The Ohio and Tennessee valleys are next up for the severe storms that have been punishing the central U.S. over the last few days. Read on for the details of what could be a soggy Saturday for millions of Americans.

Heavy Rain, Hail, and Tornadoes Possible in the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on Saturday

After spreading across the mid-Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes on Friday, the next round of thunderstorms is forecast to shift into the Ohio and Tennessee valleys on Saturday. The primary zone of impact will stretch from the southeastern corner of Indiana and southwestern Ohio to the south into central portions of Mississippi and Alabama.

Major urban areas such as Louisville, Kentucky, will want to be ready for scattered thunderstorms in the morning, becoming more widespread later in the day. Forecasters are warning that some of the storm cells could unleash gusty winds. Highs will fall below the average for this time of the year, maxing out at about 80 degrees. Rain showers will linger into the evening hours before clearing out after the sun goes down.

It will take longer for the storms to reach the southern flank of the impact zone. For instance, the day will be mostly dry for places such as Birmingham, Alabama, with partly cloudy skies and highs of about 88 degrees and winds out of the southwest at 10 to 15 mph. Storms will fire up in the evening hours, ushering in gusty conditions and times of heavy rain.

Other communities that should expect stormy weather on Saturday include Nashville, Knoxville, Cincinnati, and Lexington.

Looking ahead to Sunday, you can expect the threat of storms to migrate to the Appalachians in a zone from West Virginia to the south into northern Georgia. The Gulf Coast should also prepare for the chance of spotty thunderstorms to bring the weekend to a close. While this threat is not expected to be as potent as what the Ohio and Tennessee valleys experience on Saturday, the storm cells will still be capable of producing high winds and heavy rain at times.