Daily threat of severe storms to extend into Memorial Day weekend
Pockets of severe weather will affect areas in the northeast, southeast and central United States through the Memorial Day weekend.
AccuWeather’s Jon Porter reports estimated damage and economic losses from the central U.S. tornado outbreak totaling between $9 billion and $11 billion as the peak of severe weather season looms.
While no major outbreaks of severe weather are anticipated through Memorial Day, localized severe weather can still occur in various parts of the nation on a daily basis. AccuWeather has the details on where and when people should pay close attention to potentially dangerous weather conditions.
The tail end of the front that produced more than a thousand incidents of severe weather, including dozens of tornadoes, since late last week, pushed offshore in the Southeast on Wednesday night.
As the tail end of this front crept southward over the Florida Peninsula, a few robust thunderstorms occurred across southern Florida on Friday. Storms brought damaging winds and hail up to 2 inches in diameter.
More severe storms anticipated for parts of Plains states
Farther west, severe weather is forecast on a daily basis across portions of the Plains states.
From late Friday to Friday night, thunderstorms packed a punch from western Nebraska through central Oklahoma, bringing hail the size of hen eggs and tennis balls. Additionally, a few tornadoes were reported in eastern Colorado.
During the weekend, the main risk of severe weather will begin to expand and then shift slowly eastward over the South Central states.
On Saturday, the likelihood of at least locally severe thunderstorms will extend from the western portions of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, as well as eastern Colorado to southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas.
The risk of tornadoes will increase Saturday, as some of the storms are expected to pack damaging hail and high winds.
On Sunday, the severe weather threat zone will begin to push eastward more directly and will be centered on the lower Mississippi Valley. The severe weather risk will extend from north-central Texas to south-central Kansas, eastward to parts of middle Tennessee and northern Alabama. Once again, portions of eastern Colorado, including Denver, will be at risk for severe thunderstorms as well.
Due to the repetitive nature of some of the thunderstorm downpours, the risk of flash flooding will increase daily from parts of the southern Plains to the lower part of the Mississippi Valley with the Ozark Mountains—a popular vacation and camping destination.
Those outdoors should use extreme caution as storms brew due to the risk of lightning strikes. Campers should avoid setting up along small streams that could be prone to flash flooding. A downpour less than a mile upstream could produce a wall of water that quickly inundates low-lying areas.
On Memorial Day, the risk of severe thunderstorms will focus over the Southeastern states from central Texas to Georgia and the Carolinas.
The storms could directly affect outdoor activities Monday in cities such as New Orleans, Atlanta and Charlotte.
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