Heat-fueled severe storms to continue riding edge of heat dome into the new week
Thunderstorms packing destructive winds and torrential rain will be relentless along the edges of a ridge of high pressure encircling the central and eastern states through late June.
After a massive tornado went through parts of North Dakota, one woman reacts to the devastation on her property.
A large heat dome that will dominate the weather pattern across the eastern two-thirds of the nation into late June will produce more than record-smashing temperatures, as severe thunderstorms will continue riding its periphery, warn AccuWeather meteorologists.
The storms, fueled by the heat clashing against cooler air near the edge of the dome of high pressure, will be found mostly in the Plains and Upper Midwest in the coming days, but may also venture into parts of the Northeast, forming a "ring of fire." Because of the atmospheric energy that will be available, they will pack a punch.
"The thunderstorm complexes that will be moving along the northern and western periphery of the heat ridge the next few days will be fast-moving, and bring downpours, lightning, hail and gusty winds," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill.
Storms to reset in the High Plains late this weekend
After impacting parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast into the weekend, severe thunderstorms are expected to re-form over the western High Plains during the second half of the weekend, say AccuWeather severe weather experts.
Late Friday, clusters of thunderstorms led to widespread damaging winds across the Dakotas and northern Minnesota, knocking out power to tens of thousands of customers in the region. In South Dakota, there were multiple reports of wind gusts over 100 mph from these storms.
Those thunderstorms were still ongoing over parts of the Great Lakes and Southern Canada, as of late Saturday, and will continue to bring a threat for damaging winds, flooding downpours and hail as they track southeastward across upstate New York and New England into Saturday night and Sunday morning.
After the Northeast threat wanes, all eyes will turn to the Front Range of the Rockies and the western High Plains from Sunday afternoon through Sunday night, as robust atmospheric energy runs up against the western edge of the heat dome.
For parts of the region, while the wind and hail threat isn't welcome, the rain from the thunderstorms is, because of ongoing drought conditions, but it could be too much of a good thing, too quickly.
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"Given the severe-to-exceptional drought and likelihood of repeated rounds of storms, any rainfall is bound to produce standing water," said Merrill. "The 'moisture train' in New Mexico also has roots to former Hurricane Erick that slammed into Mexico on Thursday, so intense downpours will be likely in spots."
A much larger area extending well over a thousand miles from western Texas to northern Minnesota will be at risk for storms packing destructive wind gusts, large hail and even an isolated tornado or two.
"These storms will be feeding off a lot of heat energy, and will produce frequent lightning," added Merrill. "So, not only could the winds trigger power outages and damage, but the lightning could contribute to outages and damage."
Conditions under the heat dome from the central Plains through the mid-Atlantic and Northeast should generally be dry and swelteringly hot into the early part of the week due to sinking air under intense high pressure, although a few spotty thundershowers cannot be ruled out.
Storms return to the Midwest and Northeast for the new week
Following a few days of broiling heat and uncomfortable humidity, the threat for severe weather will return to areas close to the northern periphery of the heat dome through at least Wednesday, warn AccuWeather meteorologists.
"Some of the storms that develop can bring strong wind gusts, hail and downpours stretching from Nebraska through the Great Lakes on Monday and Tuesday," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert. "By Tuesday night or Wednesday, parts of New England and the mid-Atlantic will be at risk."
It is not out of the question that some storms can evolve into a long-lived damaging wind event, called a derecho, as they roll southeast in the new week.
Besides the always-perilous threat of lightning endangering outdoor activities, as well as hail and gusty winds, storms over the Midwest may repeat during the midweek period, leading to a widespread risk of flash flooding.
Several inches of rain are possible, often in a short amount of time, across parts of the Corn Belt, upper Midwest and northern Great Lakes region through Thursday, especially from eastern Nebraska into Iowa, southern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Besides leading to water-covered roads, the heavy rain can have agricultural impacts in the fields of farmers in the region.
The progression of drenching and potentially severe thunderstorms farther east at the same time is a little less certain, and depends on several factors, including the strength of an area of high pressure in Canada and where activity in previous days tracks.
Regardless, it appears that for the millions who call the eastern Great Lakes, upper Ohio Valley and Northeast home will become more at risk for gusty storms during the midweek period.
AccuWeather Forecasting Intern Cris Kubatko contributed to this story.
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