Stormy Conditions Ahead for Northern Plains, Midwest, and Beyond

The risk of severe storms will spread across the central and eastern U.S. as the new week kicks off, delivering the chance of damaging winds and flash flooding.

Stormy Summer Pattern for the Central and Eastern U.S. to Start the Week

Repeated rounds of storms are on tap for a large portion of the Plains, the Midwest, and the Northeast in the days ahead. The heat dome that has been anchored over the south-central U.S. will pair with an abundance of moisture in the atmosphere to support the formation of the stormy conditions. The bulk of the activity will ride along the northern periphery of the heat dome.

Monday's weather will be a continuation of what fired up on Sunday. The end of the weekend featured gusty storms across portions of the Ohio Valley and over into the Northeast. It was a rocky day of weather for some of the most populated cities across the Interstate 95 corridor with heavy rain reducing visibility on the roadways at times.

Another zone of storms set up over the Plains states and the Midwest to close out the weekend. The action in this part of the U.S. came to life when a cold front pushing to the east through the Dakotas and Minnesota met up with the plentiful moisture and warm air ahead of the frontal boundary.

The cold front will continue to dip to the south and the east on Monday, interacting with the building moisture and heat. The unstable atmosphere will fuel the development of storms beginning in the afternoon hours. The storm cells will get their start in Montana and the Dakotas, expected to form larger complexes of thunderstorms as they journey to the east across the northern Plains and parts of the Midwest.

The greatest concentration of severe weather is expected for the eastern edge of South Dakota, the southwestern corner of Minnesota, and northeastern Iowa. Locally damaging wind gusts will be the primary threat associated with Monday's activity. Gusts could hit speeds as high as 80 mph. Winds of this magnitude will be capable of causing widespread crop damage during the heart of the growing season.

Other impacts associated with Monday's storms include heavy rain, flash flooding, large hail, and isolated tornadoes. The rain and the storms will take longer to arrive in areas on the eastern edge of the impact zone.

For example, Minot, North Dakota, is forecast to wake up to cloudy skies but dry conditions. The storms will ignite in the afternoon and evening hours before dissipating overnight. It will be a cooler day with highs topping out in the low 70s and readings that land in the upper 50s overnight.

Areas ahead of the frontal boundary will remain warm. Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will see the mercury soar into the low 90s before sliding into the upper 60s overnight. The odds of storms will increase greatly after the sun goes down with an inch of rain on tap overnight. You can expect a breezy day in Sioux Falls with winds out of the east-southeast at 10 to 15 mph.

Tuesday's Forecast is Calling for Storms for the Midwest and Western Great Lakes

The highest concentration of storms on Tuesday will focus on the Midwest and the western Great Lakes. Unlike Monday's activity, which is not expected to get going until later in the day, Tuesday's storm will get an early start. Several cities could experience a messy morning commute. The surge of energy in the atmosphere will allow the storms to persist throughout the day in some areas.

Des Moines is predicted to see the storms erupt after the sun goes down on Tuesday. The complexes of storms will come together during the natural heating of the day with a forecast high of about 92 degrees.

Another zone of storms is forecast to come together on Tuesday afternoon and evening in an area from Wyoming and to the east into western Wisconsin and Illinois. Once again, meteorologists are warning about the threat of damaging wind gusts, torrential rain, and hail.

Looking Ahead to Wednesday

The front responsible for generating the storms will move farther to the east and south on Wednesday, working to chip away at the stubborn heat dome. Storms are possible over a large swath of the central and eastern U.S., stretching from Montana through the Ohio Valley and up to the north into New England.

Chicago is one of the major urban areas expected to be under the gun for Wednesday's storm action. While the Windy City will enjoy calm conditions early, storms are expected to roam the area during the afternoon, evening, and overnight hours. The arrival of the cold front will also bring the mercury down into the upper 70s for a high. Lows hover in the mid 60s.

You will find a similar forecast in Indianapolis, with storms during the latter part of the day and under the cover of darkness. Unlike Chicago, it will remain toasty with the mercury expected to hit the low 90s before falling to about 70 degrees overnight. Indy will finally get in on the cooler air by Thursday, with highs maxing out in the mid 70s as thunderstorms linger through the early part of the day.

Heading back to the west, the temperatures will fall noticeably as the cold front moves through. After seeing highs in the low 90s on Tuesday, Des Moines will struggle to climb out of the upper 70s on Wednesday. The capital city is in store for a stormy day with widespread activity that persists into the evening hours. Overnight lows will land at about 63 degrees.

Kansas City will not be at the heart of the action on Wednesday; however, you cannot rule out the chance of a stray rain shower or thunderstorm during the morning hours. This threat will increase again at dusk. The forecast is calling for a high of about 84 degrees and lows that bottom out at about 70 degrees.

The highest concentration of storms will shift throughout the week across the region. Be sure to stay tuned as we continue to update the fluid forecast.

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