Severe storms, flooding downpours to focus on Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes into Easter weekend
Heavy thunderstorms this week may bring hail, damaging winds, tornadoes and flooding rain from the Plains to the Great Lakes, disrupting travel and outdoor plans into Easter weekend.
Multiple rounds of rain and storms are expected in the central U.S. over the next few days. Bernie Rayno breaks down when and where rain and storms could occur.
Heavy to severe thunderstorms and potentially flooding rain will affect parts of the Plains, Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes into Easter weekend. Travel and outdoor plans may be disrupted, with locally dangerous conditions expected, especially where storms occur after dark.
The stretch of severe weather began Tuesday, as strong thunderstorms brought reports of hail and damaging wind gusts from northern Texas to western Massachusetts. Thunderstorms were most widespread across northern Indiana, northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, with the highest reported wind gust being 75 mph near Cleveland, Ohio.
Wednesday's severe storms to focus over Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana
The severe weather threat is forecast to shift south and consolidate over the Plains and parts of the Mississippi Valley Wednesday. Severe weather is anticipated from central Texas through central and southeastern Kansas into northern and western Missouri.
As on Tuesday, a more concentrated zone of severe storms with large hail, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes is forecast. That zone is likely to extend from north-central Texas, including Dallas, into south-central Kansas, including Oklahoma City.
Few big storms, big downpours in mid-Atlantic Wednesday
Farther to the east, heavy thunderstorms will drench portions of the Ohio Valley and the mid-Atlantic region Wednesday. Along with downpours that can slow travel, some storms may produce winds strong enough to break tree branches and send trash cans and recycling bins flying.
Thursday's severe weather risk returns to Midwest
The risk of severe weather will continue across parts of the Mississippi Valley and Plains Thursday and Friday, with Thursday’s storms capable of producing strong wind gusts and hail from northern Arkansas to southern Michigan.
Friday night's severe weather risk returns to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa
From late Friday to Friday night, the severe weather threat will shift farther southwest as another storm moves out of the Rockies. By Friday night, the severe weather threat zone will extend from central Texas to Iowa and central Illinois.
The strongest storms on Friday may produce high wind gusts, hail and a few tornadoes.
Saturday, the risk of severe thunderstorms will extend along an advancing cold front from northeastern Texas to southwestern Ontario and western New York. The main threats will be from damaging hail and wind gusts.
As the front approaches the Interstate 95 corridor Easter Sunday, there will be drenching showers and locally gusty thunderstorms in the region. If there is enough daytime heating ahead of the front, severe thunderstorms may be possible.
Rain to be beneficial for some, problematic for others
As the parent storm lifts northeast across the Great Lakes this weekend, a trailing cold front will trigger drenching showers and locally severe thunderstorms as it pushes eastward and southward across the Mississippi Valley and the Appalachians.
GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
•Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
Each round of showers and thunderstorms may bring localized flash and urban flooding. Where downpours repeat daily or every other day, the risk of small-stream flooding and significant rises on some rivers will persist.
A general 1-4 inches of rain is forecast this week from Texas and the north-central Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, Catskills to West Virginia and even into portions of the mid-Atlantic, with locally higher amounts of up to 6 inches possible. While not all of the rain will fall at once, multiple rounds of disruptive rainfall are likely.
In drought-stricken areas, repeated rainfall may bring some relief and reduce the risk of spring wildfires.
While much of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma and the Mississippi Valley face downpours and severe weather, winter will stage a comeback across the northern tier of the central and northeastern U.S., bringing widespread snow and ice.
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
