Severe storms to rumble across central and eastern US
Daily risks for severe weather across the central and eastern U.S. into midweek bringing risks for strong wind gusts, flash flooding and dangerous travel conditions.
July 25 was a stormy Friday in parts of the Northeast.
Daily rounds of storms will bring the risk of strong winds and flash flooding from portions of the Plains and Midwest to parts of the Northeast, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
The combination of extreme heat in place over the south-central United States and ample amounts of moisture will help spark severe thunderstorms through early week along the northern fringes of the heat dome.
Two zones for severe weather Sunday
The first of two zones for severe weather on Sunday will focus from portions of the Ohio Valley into southern New England Sunday afternoon and evening. Localized damaging wind gusts of up to 70 mph is expected.
Heavy downpours can also accompany any thunderstorm raising the risk for flash flooding across the region especially where numerous storms track over the same area. The drenching thunderstorms are expected to impact portions of the I-95 corridor, including Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia where travel can be slow due to reduced visibility and ponding on roads.
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The second zone at risk for severe weather will focus across portions of the Plains and Midwest where there is a growing concern for a large complex of thunderstorms.
"A cold front will move across the Dakotas and Minnesota this afternoon interacting with plenty of moisture and warm air ahead of it, producing severe thunderstorms," said AccuWeather meteorologist Gwen Fieweger.
"Conditions will be conducive for widespread, damaging wind gusts especially across Minnesota and portions of northern Wisconsin where thunderstorms are expected to congeal into a line of thunderstorms, adds Fieweger. The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ is 90 mph.
Other hazards including hail and isolated tornadoes can also occur in thunderstorms.
Powerful complex of thunderstorms anticipated Monday
As the cold front continues to move south and eastward on Monday, it will interact with increasing moisture and heat ahead of it promoting an immensely unstable atmosphere for thunderstorms to develop and feed off of.
"As thunderstorms initially develop in Montana and the Dakotas Monday afternoon, it is possible for storms to congeal into a powerful complex of thunderstorms," said AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
In turn, AccuWeather meteorologists have added a high risk for severe thunderstorms from eastern South Dakota into southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa.
Widespread damaging wind gusts will once again be a primary hazard with wind gusts as high as 80 mph and an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 100 mph. Winds of this magnitude can lead to significant crop and structural damage across the region. Other hazards including flash flooding, large hail and isolated tornadoes will also be possible in severe thunderstorms.
The complex of thunderstorms may continue into Tuesday morning which can impact the morning commutes in Chicago, Milwaukee and Indianapolis.
"Enough instability may be present across the Midwest Tuesday morning for any complex of thunderstorms to maintain intensity continuing the risks for damaging wind gusts and flash flooding," adds Buckingham.
Severe risk to continue into midweek
The daily risk for severe thunderstorms across the Plains and Midwest will continue Tuesday afternoon and night stretching from Wyoming to portions of far western Wisconsin and Illinois as the front continues to move move southward.
Localized damaging wind gusts, flooding downpours and hail will yet again become concerns in any thunderstorms during the afternoon and night.
Looking ahead to Wednesday, the front will continue to move south and eastward squashing the heat dome and focusing the risk for severe weather farther south and east compared to earlier in the week.
Severe thunderstorms can occur across a large expansive area from Montana through Missouri as well as farther east across the Ohio Valley into New England. Localized damaging wind gusts and flash flooding will be the primary hazards. Across the Plains, there will also be a risk for large hail.
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