Where to Expect Greatest Chance of Storm Activity in Coming Days

Severe thunderstorms will continue to pose problems for parts of the central and eastern U.S. to close out the week. Here is a deeper dive into what the eastern half of the nation should expect in the days ahead.

Central and Eastern U.S. Remain in Crosshairs of Storms

Damaging winds, heavy rain, and flash flooding are all on the table for the central and eastern U.S. for the balance of the week, thanks to a highly unsettled weather pattern. The storms will roam the region into the weekend, presenting a number of potential hazards.

Flash flooding will once again pose the greatest possible threat as part of the weather maker. High winds will also raise the risk of localized power outages.

Wednesday's storms hit several different regions, stretching from the Central Plains, the High Plains, the Upper Midwest, and the western Great Lakes. While the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest will see a reprieve from the stormy conditions later Thursday and into Friday, it will be a different situation in areas farther to the east.

Kansas City is forecast to be under cloudy skies with the chance of rain showers on Thursday. The cloud cover will work to send the temperatures into the upper 70s for a high, a noticeable change from the readings in the low 90s on Wednesday.

It will be stormier to the east along Interstate 70. St. Louis is expecting dry conditions early in the day with the rain and storms firing up in the afternoon and evening hours. The Arch City is forecast to see highs reach the mid 80s before landing in the low 70s after the sun goes down.

Thursday's forecast is calling for another round of severe storms for a zone from the Ohio Valley and to the central Appalachians. Some of the storms could creep as far east as the mid-Atlantic.

Louisville, Kentucky, is expecting morning rain showers that give way to scattered storms in the evening hours. It will be a muggy day with highs in the upper 80s and lows that dip to about 73 degrees.

Another cluster of storms is forecast to pop up in the northeastern corner of the country, stretching from northwestern New England and up into northwestern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. Meteorologists are warning that isolated tornadoes could spin up in some of the most powerful storm cells during the afternoon and evening hours on Thursday. The greatest chance of tornadic activity will focus on northeastern New York and to the north into Vermont.

Friday's Storms Centered and Interstate 95 Corridor

Friday's storm action will set up over central and southern Appalachians before moving to the east across the Interstate 95 corridor in the mid-Atlantic. Storms packing powerful wind gusts and torrential rain will stretch from North Carolina and to the north into Delaware and Maryland to bring the work week to a close.

A surge of dry air will filter into the Northeast over the weekend, turning off the moisture machine. However, the atmosphere will be ripe for more storm development over parts of the Plains and the Midwest at this time.

Additionally, another round of storms is predicted to ignite over the northern Plains and to the Upper Midwest late Friday. Storms could also erupt again over the Ohio Valley by the end of the day. Places such as Cincinnati will be in the heart of this storm development as the work week comes to a close.

The storms are forecast to pick up in intensity on Saturday across the Ohio Valley and beyond. Going back to Cincinnati, this part of the region will be under the threat of widespread thunderstorms throughout the weekend. The potential for heavy rainfall at times will raise the chance of flooding. The building clouds will bring down the temperatures with highs forecast to top out in the low to mid 80s.

The bottom line is that this could be a messy weekend for outdoor plans across the nation's mid-section and to the east. Stay tuned as we continue to update the forecast in the days ahead.

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