Threat of Thunderstorms Remains for the Central and Eastern U.S.
Alexis Thornton
17 hours agoWhile the conditions will calm down heading into the back half of the week, the next few days will feature regular bouts of severe thunderstorms across parts of the central and eastern U.S. Read on for a more detailed look at the unsettled forecast.
Weekend Stormy Pattern Will Fold Over Into Start of New Work Week
Storms will continue to threaten portions of the Plains states, the Midwest, and the mid-Atlantic on Monday and Tuesday. Potential impacts include heavy rain that triggers flash flooding, hail, and damaging winds.
The stormy activity will fire up as hot and moisture-rich air currently positioned over the eastern half of the country clashes with a cold front making its way from west to east to start the work week. Forecasters are warning that some of the storm cells could pack severe impacts.
This current stretch of unsettled weather got its start on Sunday across the central Plains and the Midwest. The arrival of the front produced large hail and high winds with the impacts expected to move to the southeast in the hours and days ahead.
There will be two different areas of severe weather that erupt later in the day Monday and into the overnight hours. The first area of concern will focus on the Midwest and over into the mid-Atlantic zone, expanding from central Missouri and into western Virginia and the central portions of Pennsylvania. The storms are forecast to ride along with the advancing cold front.
The torrential rain associated with this weather maker will raise the risk of flash flooding. Residents in the target zone will want to enable smartphone notifications before going to bed.
The Great Lakes will see times of scattered storms. While Chicago woke up to calm conditions on Monday, the threat of storms will continue to increase into the evening hours. Highs in the mid 80s will land at about 67 degrees after the sun goes down in the Windy City.
Detroit will also see a higher risk of gusty storms in the afternoon and evening hours. Winds will come in at 10 to 15 mph from the south-southwest while highs will hover in the mid 80s. Overnight lows will slide into the upper 60s in this part of the Great Lakes.
Moving farther east, Buffalo is not expecting the storms to erupt until the evening and overnight hours. Like the rest of the Great Lakes, temperatures will top out in the mid 80s with lows falling to about the 70-degree mark overnight.
A secondary zone of storms will set up farther to the west, impacting parts of the Desert Southwest and the southern Plains from New Mexico, to the north into Colorado, and to the east into Oklahoma and northern Texas. The greatest concentration of storm action is expected along the Red River from southern Oklahoma and down into northern Texas. This line of cells could produce winds of up to 70 mph.
Tuesday's Storms Will Shift Farther to the East and the South
About a dozen states will get caught in the crosshairs of Tuesday's storms as the cool front continues its march to the populated East Coast. Severe weather is possible from North Carolina and up the coast into western Massachusetts and western New Hampshire. The greatest chance of severe storms popping up will be during the afternoon and evening hours.
Like Monday's impacts, residents should prepare for strong winds, hail, and flooding downpours. The busy Interstate 95 corridor could see a messy evening commute.
For instance, New York City is forecast to see partly cloudy skies early that evolve into thunderstorms in the afternoon hours. Highs will reach the 90-degree mark before bouncing around in the mid 70s overnight.
The worst of the stormy conditions are forecast to set up over the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania and into northeastern Virginia. This will translate to a high likelihood of airline disruptions for some of the largest hubs in the Northeast. Air travelers should stay on top of their flight status.
Philadelphia could be one of the cities that sees widespread storms that hamper travel. The City of Brotherly Love is forecast to see partly cloudy skies in the morning with storms that become more persistent in the afternoon and evening hours. Rain showers will linger under the cover of darkness. The forecast is calling for a high of about 90 degrees, lows that bottom out in the low 70s, and winds out of the southwest at 10 to 15 mph.
Heavy rain will be the story to the south in Washington, D.C. The nation's capital is bracing for about an inch of rain during the day on Tuesday with lingering storms during the evening and overnight hours. The mercury will hit the 90-degree mark before settling in the low 70s overnight.
The good news for this part of the region is that the weather is forecast to clear out in time for the Fourth of July holiday festivities. Stay tuned as we continue to update those details in the days ahead.
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