More than 180 million in US at risk for severe weather through midweek
Severe weather will impact dozens of states from the Plains on Saturday, the Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes on Sunday and Monday along the Eastern Seaboard. A new storm will pose hazards to the Central US midweek.
Hail piled up in Minnesota and Michigan as strong storms swept through the Upper Midwest on March 28.
Severe weather packing tornadoes will stretch across more than two dozen states from the Great Plains to the Atlantic coast from through Monday, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. At least 80 million residents and visitors could be in the path of severe weather in the central United States on Sunday and then in the East on Monday.
The severe weather threat continues to escalate for Sunday in the middle of the nation in terms of risk level, while the areal scope of severe weather potential continues to grow in the East on Monday. Even into the midweek period, another storm traveling across the central and eastern states will bring yet another round of severe weather.
A grove of pine trees was recently destroyed in Tylertown, Mississippi. Photo from Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Sunday presents a high risk for dangerous storms
As the severe weather threat develops throughout the day on Sunday, it will expand to cover a widespread region as it shifts farther to the east. The likelihood of some severe thunderstorms will extend from the Interstate 10 corridor in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida northward to I-96 in Michigan.
AccuWeather forecasters are highlighting a rare 'high' risk for severe storms across the lower Ohio and upper Mississippi valleys, warning of large hail and devastating tornadoes, among other threats.
In the middle of this zone, numerous severe thunderstorms are anticipated over the middle portion of the Mississippi Valley and portions of the Ohio and Tennessee valleys.
Once again, the full spectrum of severe weather is anticipated to range from damaging tornadoes and large hail to widespread, powerful wind gusts and flash flooding.
"On Sunday, we are probably looking at a dozen or two tornadoes," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
AccuWeather’s Melissa Constanzer explains how to stay safe from lightning during a thunderstorm.
The intensity of the storms will depend on how fast a zone of low clouds burns off during the midday and afternoon. Where that happens quickly, the extra daytime heating could boost the developing and incoming storms.
The same storm that brought drought-busting rain and flooding problems to parts of Texas from Wednesday to Thursday will be moving through much of the same area on Saturday in a weakening state with locally drenching showers, gusty thunderstorms and flash flooding.
The likelihood of severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes, will extend well after dark both Saturday night and Sunday night, which will add to the danger.
By late Sunday night, the thunderstorms are expected to organize into more of a solid or broken line as they approach the central and southern Appalachians. But even during this phase, there can still be localized flash flooding and strong wind gusts that can lead to sporadic power outages.
Monday
On Monday, the storms will get another boost due to daytime heating on the eastern slopes of the Appalachians to the Atlantic coast and the northeast Gulf coast.
The main threats of severe weather on Monday will be due to damaging wind gusts and hail, as well as disruptive downpours, localized flash flooding and isolated tornadoes.
Monday's severe weather will affect the very busy Interstate 81, 85 and 95 corridors from New Orleans to Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City. Cool Atlantic waters may offer some protection from severe weather along parts of the southern and eastern New England coasts. However, even Boston may experience torrential downpours and gusty winds for a time on Monday night.
Airline passengers could experience flight cancellations or, at the very least, flight delays, as ground stops are issued or some aircraft are put in a holding pattern as the storms approach the airports.
New severe threat middle of next week
As the spring weather pattern continues with a tug-of-war between warm and humid air from the Gulf and chilly winds from Canada, additional rounds of severe weather will follow next week.
Later Tuesday afternoon and through the overnight hours, a developing storm will emerge into the Plains and potent thunderstorms will ramp up once again. Late Tuesday, hazards ranging from large hail and damaging wind gusts to even isolated tornadoes will be possible from southern Nebraska to north-central Texas.
A significant threat of severe weather with possible tornadoes and the risk of flash flooding will again ramp up over the middle of the nation on Wednesday, even more widespread than the area impacted late Tuesday.
Similar threats will arise on Wednesday and Wednesday night in comparison to late Tuesday; however, major metros like Dallas, Little Rock, Arkansas, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Nashville, Tennessee, and Detroit will be within the crosshairs for potent storms.
That storm system is likely to push severe thunderstorms and increase the risk of flooding farther to the east next Thursday.
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