Thunderstom Activity Will Persist Through the Holiday Weekend

The good news is that there are no major outbreaks of severe storms expected through Memorial Day. The bad news is that areas of stormy conditions will continue to roam the central, southeastern, and northeastern U.S. through the holiday weekend. Here is an updated look at where and when you can expect these pockets of storms to pop up in the days ahead.

Chance of Daily Storms Will Threaten Many Communities Through the Weekend

The stormy weather pattern will linger through the Memorial Day weekend for much of the country. After impacting the central U.S. on Monday and Tuesday, the greatest concentration of storms on Wednesday was focused on the interior Northeast. These storm cells came up behind a developing nor'easter that will continue to dump heavy rain across the East Coast through Thursday.

While the Southeast saw its fair share of storms to start the week, this line of activity is forecast to weaken heading into Thursday. However, storms will ignite again across Florida on Thursday. The back side of the front responsible for the early-week activity will pair with a robust sea breeze coming off the Atlantic to fuel the storms in Florida to close out the week.

Floridians are no strangers to powerful storms, however, forecasters are warning that these cells could pack more of a punch. Potential impacts include high winds, heavy rain, and frequent lightning strikes. Storms that ignite in Florida this time of the year are also known to produce tornadoes or waterspouts. Visitors to the beaches and theme parks in the state will want to be aware of the developing situation.

Thursday's storm activity will train over eastern portions of the Sunshine State. Looking ahead to Friday, the greatest risk of storms in Florida will be over the southeastern corner of the peninsula. Places such as Miami should brace for scattered thunderstorms throughout the afternoon. It will be a warm and muggy day with a high of about 88 degrees and lows that bottom out in the upper 60s. Winds will be out of the south at 10 to 15 mph.

More Storms Bearing Down on the Plains States

The Plains states will see a renewed threat of storms beginning on Thursday and lasting through Sunday. The primary concerns associated with these late-week storms will be destructive winds and large hail.

The latest rash of storms is forecast to fire up on Thursday afternoon and evening in a zone from central Texas and up into southern portions of Oklahoma. Cities in the line of fire include San Antonio and Dallas.

The storms will arrive earlier in the day in Oklahoma City. The morning commute could be impacted by the unsettled weather before partly cloudy skies take over in the afternoon, sending the mercury up into the upper 70s. The Thursday forecast in the capital city is also calling for winds out of the east-northeast at 10 to 15 mph and an overnight low of about 60 degrees.

Although the day will not be a total loss for places such as Abilene, Texas, you also cannot rule out the chance of a stray thunderstorm threatening outdoor plans in the afternoon. It will be a scorcher of a day in this part of the Lone Star State with the mercury forecast to soar to about 96 degrees during the peak afternoon heating hours. Winds out of the south at 10 to 20 mph will pair with overnight lows that tumble into the upper 60s.

The chance of storms will expand to the north on Friday, stretching as far as western and central Nebraska. Wichita, Kansas, will be in the bullseye for Friday's activity with rain showers in afternoon hours turning into widespread thunderstorms in the evening and overnight. The buildup of clouds will keep the temperatures around the 70-degree mark for a high on Friday with lows forecast to slide into the upper 50s. It will be a breezy day in the metro area in the south-central portion of the state with winds out of the southeast at 10 to 20 mph.

Weekend Forecast Calling for More of the Same Stormy Pattern

By the weekend, the primary threat will grow and move to the east and encompass western Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, eastern Colorado, southeastern Missouri, and the northeastern edge of Arkansas. The chances of tornadic activity will also increase on Saturday.

Goodland, Kansas, is expecting morning rain showers on Saturday that evolve into scattered thunderstorms by the evening hours. The temperatures will drop noticeably on Saturday in this part of western Kansas. After seeing highs approach the 80-degree mark on Friday, Goodland will struggle to break past the 60-degree threshold on Saturday.

Tulsa will also see a good shot of severe storms on Saturday. Forecasters are cautioning that some of these storms could pack dangerous impacts. Temperatures will peak in the mid 70s in the afternoon before slipping into the mid 60s after the sun goes down. Winds will clock in at 10 to 15 mph from the east-southeast.

Sunday's forecast is calling for the storm cells to migrate farther to the east, taking aim at the lower Mississippi Valley. Other areas that should be prepared for more storms on Sunday include the swath of land from north-central Texas and up into south-central Kansas to the north and over into the middle Tennessee Valley. To the south, the storms will extend as far as northern Alabama.

Meteorologists are warning that the repeated rounds of rain and thunderstorms will naturally increase the risk of flash flooding as the weekend progresses. The areas most at risk of seeing this type of severe weather event include the southern Plains and over into the lower Mississippi Valley.

The Ozark Mountains will also be in this threat zone, potentially putting campers and hikers at risk during a weekend when the recreational areas will be packed with visitors. In addition to being aware of the chance of flooding, outdoor recreationalists will also want to be prepared for frequent lightning strikes. Campers should take care when selecting their campsites, avoiding areas near small streams that could quickly overflow their banks.

Impact Zone for Monday's Storms Shifts to the Southeast

The Memorial Day holiday will see the highest chance of thunderstorms move into the Southeast and the lower Mississippi River Valley. Metro areas that may see disruptions to outdoor activities on the holiday include New Orleans, Mobile, Atlanta, and Charlotte.

Although the rest of the weekend is forecast to remain mostly dry, Atlanta could see rain showers and scattered storms by Monday. The extensive cloud cover will keep highs in the upper 70s with lows predicted to dip into the upper 60s. The highest risk of storms in the Peach City will be in the upper 60s.

Monday's forecast will be something to monitor in the days ahead if your holiday plans have you headed outside. The line of storms could shift slightly in the coming days, making it important to stay abreast of the most updated forecast.

Busy Tornado Season Set to Continue

The holiday weekend is shaping up to be a continuation of the busy tornado season. With over 900 tornado reports so far in 2025, the year is on track to be the worst since 2011. The latest report indicates that the U.S. is running 280 reports above the historical average by this point in the season.

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has logged 922 early filtered tornado reports across the country, well over the average of 640 by this date. Mississippi is leading the country with 97 reports, followed by Illinois with 93 reports. Missouri sits in third place at 89 while Texas is right below with 87 reported twisters.

Most of this year's tornadic activity has happened in clusters. Four widespread outbreaks in March and April are responsible for a bulk of the tornadoes. Last week's reported 161 tornadoes padded the total further.

It is important to note that the numbers recorded this year are known as preliminary filtered tornado reports. This means that the official numbers could change once the twisters are confirmed. The final numbers will be released next year after official ground surveys are finished.

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