Severe storms to prowl central US into Memorial Day weekend
Even though the extreme nature of severe weather and tornadoes may decline into the Memorial Day weekend, there will still be significant risks to lives and property the local level.
AccuWeather’s Guy Pearson was live on the AccuWeather Network on May 20 to discuss a new threat for severe weather.
AccuWeather meteorologists recommend that people celebrating Memorial Day in the central and southern United States—whether hitting the road early, traveling, or preparing for outdoor activities at home over the extended holiday weekend—monitor severe thunderstorms daily through Monday.
A severe weather outbreak responsible for nearly 300 reports of high winds, hail and tornadoes since Monday alone remained active into Tuesday night and will even continue into Wednesday evening in some areas, prior to reloading later this week.
There may be enough warming in the southeastern corner of the U.S. during Wednesday afternoon and evening to allow the storms to rejuvenate to severe levels before dry air sweeps in and ends the threat.
A separate pocket of severe weather is anticipated farther north on Wednesday afternoon and evening. The area that may experience brief but potent thunderstorms will extend from eastern Ohio to part of western Pennsylvania, Garrett County, Maryland, and northern West Virginia.
Strong wind gusts and hail will be the main risks Wednesday. A few tornadoes are possible, and localized flash flooding is likely.
A separate zone of severe thunderstorms can materialize along a gradient of fuel for storms and dive into western Tennessee, northern Mississippi and Alabama late Wednesday night.
Later this week, the cycle of severe weather will reset once again, this time farther to the west over the Central states.
Severe weather to reset Thursday
From Thursday afternoon to Thursday night, thunderstorms are forecast to erupt from portions of central and southern Texas to southern Oklahoma and southwestern Arkansas.
While there may be considerable spacing between some of the thunderstorms, some can become intense beyond typical gusty winds and downpours. The most potent storms can trigger powerful wind gusts and sizable hail.
On Friday, the severe weather threat will continue over portions of the southern Plains states and can expand a bit farther to the north.
Thunderstorms capable of producing high winds, large hail, flash flooding and a few tornadoes will extend from parts of northwestern and north-central Texas to much of central and western Oklahoma to western Kansas and into eastern Colorado and part of southwestern Nebraska.
The storms will slowly creep eastward across the South Central states, as the weekend progresses, including southern portions of the Mississippi Valley and the Gulf Coast during Saturday and Sunday. They could potentially continue into the Southeastern states by Memorial Day.
Residents and visitors should be wary of weather conditions, especially from midday through the evening, as storms build, increase in coverage and drift through. People unfamiliar with their surroundings, whether on the road or at campgrounds, are urged to have a plan of action should a severe storm strike their location.
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