Severe Storms Lining Up Across the Plains and the Midwest

Multiple rounds of thunderstorms are bearing down on portions of the Plains and the Midwest through the weekend. Who is in the line of fire for the latest assault from Mother Nature? Here is the latest on this developing situation in the nation's heartland.

Line of Storms Will Advance Eastward Across the Plains Into the Weekend

A rash of severe storms is forecast to usher in potentially damaging hail and high winds to the Plains and the Midwest. The disruptive weather will creep to the east from the Rockies, bringing the risk of damage to property and crops for the Great Plains and beyond.

The silver lining is that the worst of the weather is forecast to erupt over mostly rural areas, helping to limit the damage. This was evident with Wednesday's activity when storms ignited across parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Minnesota.

The threat of storms on Thursday will focus on a swath of land from the southeastern corner of Montana and Idaho to the east into central Wisconsin. The greatest concentration of storms will train over the bulk of North Dakota. Potential impacts of this weather maker include large hail and wind gusts up to 90 mph.

Looking ahead to Friday, the risk of severe storms will center on the Upper Midwest and the Plains. The zone of impact will stretch from Nebraska and through the Dakotas and into Canada to the north. To the east, the line of storms will expand into northwestern Iowa and across the bulk of Minnesota.

A pronounced ripple in the jet stream across this part of the country will lay the groundwork for the storms to develop. The increase in temperatures and humidity levels will act as additional fuel for the storm cells. In addition to the usual impacts, you can also expect the threat of isolated tornadoes at this time.

The biggest concern with both Thursday's and Friday's storms will be the damaging hail. Some of the hailstones could reach the size of baseballs. Hail of this magnitude is capable of damaging buildings, vehicles, and crops.

The weekend forecast is calling for the risk of severe storms to creep farther to the east and the south. This will translate to a rocky day of weather on Saturday for Minneapolis, Des Moines, and Chicago. Like the risks earlier in the week, possible effects include large hail and localized flash flooding. The threat of flooding will be the highest in areas that get hit by storms for consecutive days.

Specific Local Forecasts

It is shaping up to be a messy day in Bismarck, North Dakota, on Thursday. This part of the northern Plains is expecting thunderstorms to become more widespread and powerful during the afternoon and evening hours. It will be a breezy day with winds out of the southeast at 10 to 20 mph. Temperatures will remain on the warm side, reaching the upper 80s during the peak afternoon heating hours.

Bismarck could wake up to more storm activity on Friday morning. The Friday forecast is calling for noticeably cooler temperatures with highs that max out in the mid 70s and overnight readings that plunge into the upper 50s. Winds will be out of the northwest at 10 to 15 mph.

Des Moines will dodge the stormy conditions for most of the week. But that will change on Saturday afternoon and evening when storms move into the capital city of Iowa. Scattered thunderstorms during the evening will become more widespread as the night progresses, unleashing the chance of heavy rain and gusty winds.

The threat of storms will persist into Sunday morning in Des Moines. While the weather may be disruptive to outdoor activities over the weekend, the increase in clouds will bring down the mercury from the low 90s on Thursday and Friday to the mid 80s on Saturday and Sunday.

Omaha will be back under the umbrella of storms by late in the weekend. The largest metro area in Nebraska is bracing for storms throughout the day and night on Sunday. Highs will top out in the mid 80s to bring the weekend to a close before falling into mid 60s overnight.

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