Severe weather to continue in central, southern US
By
Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Apr 8, 2021 1:07 AM EST
A multi-day severe weather outbreak is expected to intensify across parts of the central United States late Wednesday and Wednesday night. AccuWeather forecasters expect all forms of severe weather to be dangers -- and more than 8 million people will be in the path of the potentially damaging thunderstorms.
A potent storm system that developed in the Rockies has shifted eastward into the central U.S., and it will produce gusty thunderstorms from the central Plains to lower Mississippi River Valley through Wednesday night, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Sadvary said.
"It is not out of the question that isolated tornadoes may spin up along this system’s strengthening cold front into Wednesday evening,” Sadvary said.
As the cold front associated with this expansive storm continues to shift east at midweek, so too will the threat for feisty, dangerous weather.
“I think Wednesday will probably be one of the busiest days this week for severe weather,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
All forms of severe weather are possible, including flooding downpours, hail, damaging wind gusts and likely several tornadoes, Rayno explained.
The threat of severe thunderstorms will stretch over a wide swath of the Central states. Residents from southern Iowa all the way to northern Louisiana will need to keep an eye to the sky and have multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings through Wednesday night.
At midweek, the Storm Prediction Center, part of the National Weather Service, expanded its enhanced risk tier of severe thunderstorms to include Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Jackson, Mississippi. This is the third of five levels of severe weather ranging from one to five with five being a high risk.
Rapidly changing weather conditions are possible across portions of interstates 30, 35, 40, 44, 55 and 70. Downpours or wind-driven rain can significantly reduce visibility and lead to ponding on roadways. Motorists, especially those traveling at higher speeds, will need to exercise caution into Wednesday night.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"Before the thunderstorms organize into a solid line, discrete cells that fire up from late Wednesday to Wednesday evening may have the greatest potential to produce tornadoes," Rayno said.
The threat of severe weather will shift farther eastward Wednesday night. Areas from central Illinois to central Tennessee through northern Alabama and Mississippi and even into central Louisiana will be in the crosshairs of potent storms.
Wednesday night will bring Nashville its first opportunity of heavy rain since the end of last month when deadly flooding unfolded and the city recorded its second-wettest March of all time.
Many rivers across the South are still rather swollen due to rounds and rounds of heavy rain last month. Therefore, any additional downpours can lead to flash flooding problems.
As severe storms target the central U.S. into Wednesday night, AccuWeather meteorologists will be keeping an eye on another possible threat posed by the same storm.
“Farther north in the Upper Midwest, the potential for severe thunderstorms is low, but periods of locally heavy downpours are expected along a slow-moving warm front tied to this area of low pressure in the Plains,” Sadvary said.
Rounds of downpours across portions of South Dakota, Nebraska, Minneapolis, Iowa and Wisconsin can lead to a general 1-2 inches of rainfall across the area in under 48 hours. Localized amounts up to 3 inches are possible, which would very likely lead to flooding issues.
Flash flooding is a concern in these areas, which could extend from rising creeks and streams to flooded fields, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis.
"Travelers in the region may be faced with flooded roadways, especially in low-lying areas, as well as heavy downpours, which could reduce visibility," Travis said.
The outbreak will pile on after severe weather season got off to a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, start in March across the central and southern United States with dozens of tornadoes and historic flooding striking areas from Texas to North Carolina.
After a brief lull in severe weather, a storm that began to develop in the center of the country late Monday shattered the relative quiet. Storms on Monday night and Tuesday caused numerous reports of large hail and high winds in the central U.S.
Storms began to fire up on Tuesday afternoon across portions of the central Plains. These storms became more extensive into the overnight and pushed into parts of eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska and western Missouri. Pfeifer, Kansas, reported 2-inch hail on Tuesday night.
As this robust storm continues to push eastward late this week, the threat of widespread severe weather associated directly with it is expected to diminish. However, as a new storm drops in from the Rockies, a new threat of severe weather is expected to target parts of the South at the end of the week and into this weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
Severe weather to continue in central, southern US
By Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Apr 8, 2021 1:07 AM EST
A multi-day severe weather outbreak is expected to intensify across parts of the central United States late Wednesday and Wednesday night. AccuWeather forecasters expect all forms of severe weather to be dangers -- and more than 8 million people will be in the path of the potentially damaging thunderstorms.
A potent storm system that developed in the Rockies has shifted eastward into the central U.S., and it will produce gusty thunderstorms from the central Plains to lower Mississippi River Valley through Wednesday night, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Sadvary said.
"It is not out of the question that isolated tornadoes may spin up along this system’s strengthening cold front into Wednesday evening,” Sadvary said.
As the cold front associated with this expansive storm continues to shift east at midweek, so too will the threat for feisty, dangerous weather.
“I think Wednesday will probably be one of the busiest days this week for severe weather,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
All forms of severe weather are possible, including flooding downpours, hail, damaging wind gusts and likely several tornadoes, Rayno explained.
The threat of severe thunderstorms will stretch over a wide swath of the Central states. Residents from southern Iowa all the way to northern Louisiana will need to keep an eye to the sky and have multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings through Wednesday night.
At midweek, the Storm Prediction Center, part of the National Weather Service, expanded its enhanced risk tier of severe thunderstorms to include Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Jackson, Mississippi. This is the third of five levels of severe weather ranging from one to five with five being a high risk.
Rapidly changing weather conditions are possible across portions of interstates 30, 35, 40, 44, 55 and 70. Downpours or wind-driven rain can significantly reduce visibility and lead to ponding on roadways. Motorists, especially those traveling at higher speeds, will need to exercise caution into Wednesday night.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"Before the thunderstorms organize into a solid line, discrete cells that fire up from late Wednesday to Wednesday evening may have the greatest potential to produce tornadoes," Rayno said.
The threat of severe weather will shift farther eastward Wednesday night. Areas from central Illinois to central Tennessee through northern Alabama and Mississippi and even into central Louisiana will be in the crosshairs of potent storms.
Wednesday night will bring Nashville its first opportunity of heavy rain since the end of last month when deadly flooding unfolded and the city recorded its second-wettest March of all time.
Many rivers across the South are still rather swollen due to rounds and rounds of heavy rain last month. Therefore, any additional downpours can lead to flash flooding problems.
As severe storms target the central U.S. into Wednesday night, AccuWeather meteorologists will be keeping an eye on another possible threat posed by the same storm.
“Farther north in the Upper Midwest, the potential for severe thunderstorms is low, but periods of locally heavy downpours are expected along a slow-moving warm front tied to this area of low pressure in the Plains,” Sadvary said.
Rounds of downpours across portions of South Dakota, Nebraska, Minneapolis, Iowa and Wisconsin can lead to a general 1-2 inches of rainfall across the area in under 48 hours. Localized amounts up to 3 inches are possible, which would very likely lead to flooding issues.
Related:
Flash flooding is a concern in these areas, which could extend from rising creeks and streams to flooded fields, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis.
"Travelers in the region may be faced with flooded roadways, especially in low-lying areas, as well as heavy downpours, which could reduce visibility," Travis said.
The outbreak will pile on after severe weather season got off to a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, start in March across the central and southern United States with dozens of tornadoes and historic flooding striking areas from Texas to North Carolina.
After a brief lull in severe weather, a storm that began to develop in the center of the country late Monday shattered the relative quiet. Storms on Monday night and Tuesday caused numerous reports of large hail and high winds in the central U.S.
Storms began to fire up on Tuesday afternoon across portions of the central Plains. These storms became more extensive into the overnight and pushed into parts of eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska and western Missouri. Pfeifer, Kansas, reported 2-inch hail on Tuesday night.
As this robust storm continues to push eastward late this week, the threat of widespread severe weather associated directly with it is expected to diminish. However, as a new storm drops in from the Rockies, a new threat of severe weather is expected to target parts of the South at the end of the week and into this weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo