Over a dozen states brace for widespread severe weather, tornado threats this weekend
Mother Nature will squeeze in one more large storm over the central United States this weekend. That storm is destined to bring severe weather, snow and wildfire-spreading winds.
It has been an active month of severe weather, and that trend will continue as we head into the final weekend of March, with over a dozen states at risk for severe weather. AccuWeather’s Bernie Rayno has the details.
In a month that has delivered at least three major storms packing a severe weather outbreak, snow and powerful winds, AccuWeather meteorologists warn that yet another such storm is forecast to squeeze in before the end of March.
The first such storm ramped up on March 3 and finished up on March 5. The second spanned March 14-16. The third major storm was mostly focused from late March 18-19. Reports from the three major storms have numbered more than 220 tornadoes and nearly filtered 1,900 incidents ranging from high winds and hail.
Compared to March 2024, this is about double the amount of severe weather incidents, with nearly four times the number of tornadoes. The storm spanning March 14-16 alone brought more tornadoes and overall severe weather incidents than all of March 2024. Most likely, the number of severe weather incidents, including tornadoes, will trend significantly higher for this month.
More severe weather brewing
The potential for a new, large area of severe weather will ramp up over the central United States this weekend.
On Saturday, a southern-tracking storm that will bring flooding rain and drought relief to portions of Texas from Thursday to Friday will later compete with the larger storm brewing to the west. This storm can initially rob the larger storm of warmth and moisture.
However, once that southern system moves off to the east, there is the potential for the lid to come off of severe weather over the Mississippi Valley, depending on the amount of sunshine, moisture and warmth that builds in the region.
Over a dozen states may be at risk of severe weather Sunday, ranging from damaging wind gusts to large hail and even tornadoes. Depending on the track of the storm, the risk of severe weather may extend to Monday in parts of the East.
The severe weather threat is likely to continue farther to the east on Sunday. Heavy, gusty and locally severe thunderstorms are likely to stretch from Maryland and Delaware to northern Florida.
Meanwhile, in the storm's southwestern corridor, another round of strong wind gusts capable of kicking up dust and increasing the wildfire risk may occur this weekend. This would be over portions of the southern High Plains, where rain from the storm Thursday and Friday, as well as any rain from the new storm Saturday, does not reach.
Farther north, on the storm's northern flank—like several other similar storms this month—a swath of snow and ice will occur. Wintry precipitation may extend from central Colorado and eastern Wyoming to parts of the Dakotas, Minnesota, and the northern parts of Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and New England.
Several hours of freezing rain may lead to a buildup of ice from late Friday night to early Saturday from parts of northern Minnesota eastward to portions of Vermont and Massachusetts.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Report a Typo
