Severe Weather Threat to Span Minnesota to Arkansas

By , Meteorologist
Jul 11, 2010; 4:22 AM ET
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Violent thunderstorms pounded Minnesota to western Kansas late on Saturday. Today, more powerful storms will prowl over parts of the Plains as a storm system sweeps past.

After menacing a swath from western Wisconsin to eastern Nebraska this morning, the threat for damaging storms will shift southward and eastward as the day progresses. By tonight, dangerous thunderstorms will roam from eastern Nebraska through Wisconsin into western Tennessee.

During this time, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis, Des Moines, Minneapolis and Chicago could be among the cities and towns struck by one of these storms.

An inch or two of rain, with locally higher amounts, will douse parts of this area as the thunderstorms unleash torrential downpours. Flash flooding problems could develop, causing trouble for travelers in the region including along portions of Interstates 90, 80, 70, 35 and 29 through this evening.

Hail as large as golf balls will pelt some, while winds gusting past 50 mph could down trees or power lines and scatter any unsecured lawn furniture. A tornado or two cannot be ruled out in the strongest of storms.

Cooler air will follow the storm onto the northern Plains. Places where temperatures ranged in the upper 80s and low 90s on Saturday will dally in the 70s today.

Related to the Story:

North Central Radar

Severe Weather Center

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People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.

This Day In Weather History

New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.

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More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).

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