Severe storms to rumble over central US from Wednesday through the weekend
Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms will develop from Texas to Illinois through the weekend, bringing risks of large hail, damaging winds up to 80 mph and a few tornadoes, along with potential flooding.
AccuWeather Long-Range Expert Joe Lundberg looks ahead to this week, particularly from March 5-11. From Texas to the Ohio Valley, there is a rising concern for the risk of severe weather and flooding.
Multiple rounds of severe weather will target areas from Texas to Indiana from Wednesday through the weekend, including the threat of tornadoes.
Most thunderstorms will develop along the boundary separating surging warm, humid air from the Gulf and colder air pressing south from Canada, with the greatest concentration over parts of the Great Plains and the Mississippi Valley.
The first round will unfold Wednesday from central and northeastern Texas northeastward into southeastern Kansas, central and southern Missouri and southern Illinois and Indiana.
The main threats will be large hail and damaging wind gusts, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 80 mph. A few of the strongest storms could also produce tornadoes.
The atmosphere will reload over parts of the same region Thursday. By the evening and into the night, the severe weather threat will extend from northwestern and central Texas into eastern Nebraska.
The tornado threat appears low Thursday night, but the strongest storms can still produce damaging hail and wind gusts. Because of the threat of large hail at night, AccuWeather meteorologists have issued their own moderate risk, indicating severe weather on a more regional scale.
The severe weather threat will pivot eastward Friday, extending from central Texas to central Wisconsin. In addition to damaging wind gusts and hail, a few tornadoes are possible. Once again, AccuWeather meteorologists have raised the threat level to moderate on Friday due to the extent of severe thunderstorms anticipated.
Additional rounds of severe weather will occur over part of the same region, as well as in areas farther to the east and south, through this weekend. Saturday, the hail and flooding hazards will continue from central Texas through western Tennessee.
In each round, the severe weather threat may continue well into the nighttime hours, increasing the danger — especially if tornadoes develop after dark.
The overall weather pattern will also raise the risk of flooding. While much of the rain may be beneficial heading into the growing season after months of drought, some areas could receive too much rain too quickly, increasing the risk of urban flooding and flash flooding of small streams.
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