Severe storms on tap for Midwest to start the week
Several states were hit with major flooding which led to evacuations, rescues and severe damage.
Residents across much of the Midwest and Great Lakes enjoyed calm and seasonable weather this past weekend, with little in the way of extreme heat or widespread rainfall. But AccuWeather forecasters say a change of pace will be quick to arrive in much of the region, with thunderstorms and even some severe weather this week.
On Sunday afternoon, storms began to fire across western Minnesota and far eastern South Dakota, and into portions of Nebraska. Toward the evening, storms reached their peak intensity in portions of western Wisconsin. Wind damage was reported near Shell Lake, Wisconsin as fast moving thunderstorms swept through.
As always, it will take certain ingredients lining up at the right time to produce severe thunderstorms. In this case, the stage will be set for multiple days of disruptive thunderstorms.
As the storm system progresses eastward early this week, the severe threat will move along with it. Stretching from Illinois to Ohio, Kentucky and far western Pennsylvania, and northward to southern Ontario, a broad area may be threatened by strong and heavy storms.
Hail, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes will be possible. Flooding will be an issue as well, especially in places such as Kentucky where destructive flooding has already taken place. With the ground already saturated, trees can also fall at lower wind speeds, leading to increased damage.
While the most intense storms may be isolated, they could potentially cause major impacts given their broad range, especially when it comes to travel. With many busy interstates passing through the threat area, travelers may need to allow extra time to reach their destinations.
Chicago is likely to remain north of any severe weather. However, evening commutes in cities such as Indianapolis, Detroit, and Columbus, Ohio, may be impacted by storms with locally intense rain, flash flooding and strong wind gusts.
Well after dark, storms will continue to press southeastward. Cities such as Lexington, Kentucky, as well as Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio, may have some gusty late-night thunderstorms Monday.
A second pocket of thunderstorms that could become severe is forecast to develop over parts of Nebraska and Iowa later Monday night.
The threat of another round of severe weather will return to the Upper Midwest on Tuesday as temperatures tick up across the center of the country.
Residents in cities such as Minneapolis and Duluth, Minnesota, will once again be dodging storms on Tuesday. With hail and damaging winds expected again, a few tornadoes also cannot be ruled out.
"With a potent jet stream associated with this new storm system, there may be enough wind shear for a tornado threat to develop," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski explained.
The threat of storms will then press eastward on Wednesday.
AccuWeather meteorologists have highlighted a broad area, stretching from Iowa to southern Ontario, where a vigorous severe weather threat could take shape. While the exact area of the most intense storms remains less clear, the threat of severe thunderstorms is unlikely to wane in the near future.
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