Relentless severe storms to impact the Midwest yet again
By
Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jun 25, 2021 8:22 PM EST
A severe storm kept some people awake overnight in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the early morning of June 24. Lightning flashed across the stormy sky followed by a loud roar of thunder.
The Midwest can't seem to catch a break recently with severe thunderstorms. The region experienced damaging storms on Sunday night that produced several tornadoes, including one that devastated a Chicago suburb. In the wake of this event, more severe storms impacted the region on Thursday, and the severe threat is not over.
Potent severe storms tore through the Midwest on Thursday and Thursday night, bringing gusts over 80 mph to parts of Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska.
This radar image, captured Thursday night, June 24, 2021, local time, shows the severe storms as they rolled over Iowa and northern Missouri. (AccuWeather)
Softball-sized hail from these storms was reported in Sheridan Lake, Colorado, and up to tennis ball-sized hail was reported in parts of Kansas and Wisconsin.
Several tornado warnings were issued in northern Missouri as storms ramped up while heading eastward, some traveling at around 50 mph.
Heavy rain accompanied these powerful storms and some locations in northern Missouri experienced flooding on Thursday night, prompting several evacuations.
Significant flooding with up to 10 inches of rain was reported north of Saint Joseph and Mound City, Missouri, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) office of Kansas City, Missouri. Portions of Interstate 29 were submerged.
These severe storms were a dangerous preview of what could occur into Friday night. A slow-moving cold front will continue working across the Plains and the Midwest, with plenty of moisture and humidity still in place to fire up storms.
Thunderstorms, some of which can be severe, are forecast from eastern Colorado and the Texas Panhandle to central Illinois and part of northern Indiana into Friday night.
Jet stream energy will yet again add extra strength to these storms as an area of low pressure allows for air to rise easily, leading to additional thunderstorm development.
"Hail, flooding downpours, damaging wind gusts and even isolated tornadoes could occur within these storms," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.
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Winds can gust up to the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 75 mph, which could cause tree damage and downed power lines.
These storms are then expected to track eastward into Illinois on Friday night, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson.
Areas from northern Texas to northern Indiana can expect severe impacts.
"Cities such as Wichita, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Bloomington, Illinois; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Chicago may all be threatened by severe thunderstorms," said Pydynowski.
Flooding will yet again be a major concern with these storms.
Heavy, gusty and locally severe storms are forecast over much of the same area of the Central states on Saturday and Sunday.
"Since some of the same areas had thunderstorms Thursday and Thursday night, the risk for flooding will be high in areas where the ground is already saturated," Adamson said.
Many rivers in the Midwest are expected to reach moderate to major flood levels. Grand River is forecast to rise to around 35 feet near Sumner, Missouri, late Friday or early Saturday, which is considered moderate flood stage.
A widespread area of 2-4 inches of rain is anticipated from Oklahoma City to Toronto, Ontario. A smaller but still substantial area of 4-8 inches of rain is forecast from central Missouri to Michigan, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 16 inches.
"Unfortunately, some residents are still picking up the pieces from Sunday's destructive storms in this region," said Adamson. Even if severe weather does not occur, very heavy rain will slow the cleanup process.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
Relentless severe storms to impact the Midwest yet again
By Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jun 25, 2021 8:22 PM EST
A severe storm kept some people awake overnight in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the early morning of June 24. Lightning flashed across the stormy sky followed by a loud roar of thunder.
The Midwest can't seem to catch a break recently with severe thunderstorms. The region experienced damaging storms on Sunday night that produced several tornadoes, including one that devastated a Chicago suburb. In the wake of this event, more severe storms impacted the region on Thursday, and the severe threat is not over.
Potent severe storms tore through the Midwest on Thursday and Thursday night, bringing gusts over 80 mph to parts of Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska.
This radar image, captured Thursday night, June 24, 2021, local time, shows the severe storms as they rolled over Iowa and northern Missouri. (AccuWeather)
Softball-sized hail from these storms was reported in Sheridan Lake, Colorado, and up to tennis ball-sized hail was reported in parts of Kansas and Wisconsin.
Several tornado warnings were issued in northern Missouri as storms ramped up while heading eastward, some traveling at around 50 mph.
Heavy rain accompanied these powerful storms and some locations in northern Missouri experienced flooding on Thursday night, prompting several evacuations.
Significant flooding with up to 10 inches of rain was reported north of Saint Joseph and Mound City, Missouri, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) office of Kansas City, Missouri. Portions of Interstate 29 were submerged.
These severe storms were a dangerous preview of what could occur into Friday night. A slow-moving cold front will continue working across the Plains and the Midwest, with plenty of moisture and humidity still in place to fire up storms.
Thunderstorms, some of which can be severe, are forecast from eastern Colorado and the Texas Panhandle to central Illinois and part of northern Indiana into Friday night.
Jet stream energy will yet again add extra strength to these storms as an area of low pressure allows for air to rise easily, leading to additional thunderstorm development.
"Hail, flooding downpours, damaging wind gusts and even isolated tornadoes could occur within these storms," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Winds can gust up to the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 75 mph, which could cause tree damage and downed power lines.
These storms are then expected to track eastward into Illinois on Friday night, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson.
Areas from northern Texas to northern Indiana can expect severe impacts.
"Cities such as Wichita, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Bloomington, Illinois; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Chicago may all be threatened by severe thunderstorms," said Pydynowski.
Flooding will yet again be a major concern with these storms.
Heavy, gusty and locally severe storms are forecast over much of the same area of the Central states on Saturday and Sunday.
"Since some of the same areas had thunderstorms Thursday and Thursday night, the risk for flooding will be high in areas where the ground is already saturated," Adamson said.
Many rivers in the Midwest are expected to reach moderate to major flood levels. Grand River is forecast to rise to around 35 feet near Sumner, Missouri, late Friday or early Saturday, which is considered moderate flood stage.
A widespread area of 2-4 inches of rain is anticipated from Oklahoma City to Toronto, Ontario. A smaller but still substantial area of 4-8 inches of rain is forecast from central Missouri to Michigan, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 16 inches.
"Unfortunately, some residents are still picking up the pieces from Sunday's destructive storms in this region," said Adamson. Even if severe weather does not occur, very heavy rain will slow the cleanup process.
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Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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