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Severe Thunderstorm Threat Sweeps East Across the U.S. This Week

Christy Bowen

1 hour ago
A GOES-West Sandwich Composite from May 5, 2026, showing the organized storm system stretching from Texas through the Plains and into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with vivid colors highlighting active precipitation and storm tops along the cold front.
GOES-West captures the storm system stretching from Texas to the Northeast on May 5, 2026, fueling severe weather across the central and eastern U.S. (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR)

A multi-day severe weather threat is taking shape across the central and eastern U.S. this week. Thunderstorms will fire up Tuesday across the Plains and South, then push east toward the Atlantic Coast through Thursday. Here is what to expect day by day, where the highest risks are, and how to stay safe.

Tuesday: Severe Storms From Texas to Illinois

Storm Prediction Center categorical outlook for Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning, showing a Slight Risk over Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, with broader Marginal and general-thunderstorm areas across the central and eastern U.S.
The Storm Prediction Center's Day 1 outlook places a Slight Risk for severe weather over Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi on Tuesday. (NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center)

Warm, humid air is surging into the southeastern third of the U.S. on Tuesday, fueling intensifying thunderstorm activity. The strongest storms will line up from the Rio Grande in central Texas eastward into western Kentucky and southern Illinois.

The main threats are damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes. The greatest concentration of possible tornadoes is forecast across northeastern Texas and northeastern Arkansas. The northwestern edge of the threat zone faces the highest risk of localized flash flooding.

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