Severe thunderstorms threaten Great Lakes, Northeast early week
By
Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Jul 18, 2020 10:24 AM EDT
A large storm cell was seen in Fairbury, Illinois, on July 15, as the National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for the area.
In the wake of damaging thunderstorms that rolled across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest both Friday and Saturday, additional threats of thunderstorm activity will continue through the end of the weekend across the region.
For places like Minneapolis and Duluth, Minnesota, a much-needed thunderstorm-free day is in store to close out the weekend.
Instead, through Sunday evening, the threat for locally drenching thunderstorms will shift eastward through the eastern Great Lakes and into portions of the interior Northeast.
For those trying to escape the stifling heat settling in, this could spell trouble for anyone planning on boating or heading to area beaches across the eastern Great Lakes during the afternoon and early evening hours.
Aside from minor flash flooding, and the altering of outdoor plans, this rain is welcomed by some residents.
Abnormally dry conditions have crept northward through the Great Lakes region in recent weeks according to the US Drought Monitor, so the weekend rainfall in the area is expected help to alleviate those concerns. Downpours may help to water some fields, orchards, vineyards, lawns and backyard gardens along the way.
In addition to drenching rainfall, a more confined area, from southern Ontario to the central Indiana and Ohio, can expect severe thunderstorms to erupt.
Meteorologists are concerned about heavy downpours, that can cause localized flooding issues, as well as strong wind gusts up to an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 70 mph. Following the thunderstorms that brought wind damage Thursday afternoon and evening, another round of wind may make it easier for tree limbs to topple.
Residents in the area should keep updated on the changing weather in the region, especially if they are outdoors in the afternoon and evening, or perhaps trying to get a glimpse of the Neowise comet.
Behind the storms, a wave of slightly cooler air will filter in to start, with more relieving conditions by Monday. Much of the Great Lakes will finally see a drop in humidity as well, bringing down the AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures that peaked near 100 degrees on Sunday afternoon.
While more comfortable conditions usher in across the Great Lakes, the Northeast Atlantic coast is threatened by gusty thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Hot and humid conditions will hold across New England down through the mid-Atlantic early on Monday. These conditions, combined with the cold front that swept thunderstorms through the eastern Great Lakes on Sunday, may create some stronger storms again on Monday afternoon and evening.
"At this time, thunderstorms look to be more isolated in coverage on Monday. However, any storm that does develop could contain some brief downpours and gusty winds," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Bill Deger.
Cities in New England, like Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, as well as Baltimore and Washington, D.C. could all feel the impacts of these thunderstorms.
At the peak of their intensity, thunderstorms brought a whopping 101-mph wind gust in Churchs Ferry, North Dakota, on Friday. While wind gusts of that caliber are not expected this weekend, there will be thunderstorms capable of producing life-threatening hazards.
The thunderstorms set to target the Great Lakes on Sunday will have plenty of "fuel" for development as hot and humid air surges northward into the region. A storm system in the upper levels of the atmosphere tracking along the Canadian border will also be in place to provide the forcing mechanism needed to spark severe thunderstorms once again.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Severe Weather
Severe thunderstorms threaten Great Lakes, Northeast early week
By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Jul 18, 2020 10:24 AM EDT
A large storm cell was seen in Fairbury, Illinois, on July 15, as the National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for the area.
In the wake of damaging thunderstorms that rolled across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest both Friday and Saturday, additional threats of thunderstorm activity will continue through the end of the weekend across the region.
For places like Minneapolis and Duluth, Minnesota, a much-needed thunderstorm-free day is in store to close out the weekend.
Instead, through Sunday evening, the threat for locally drenching thunderstorms will shift eastward through the eastern Great Lakes and into portions of the interior Northeast.
For those trying to escape the stifling heat settling in, this could spell trouble for anyone planning on boating or heading to area beaches across the eastern Great Lakes during the afternoon and early evening hours.
Aside from minor flash flooding, and the altering of outdoor plans, this rain is welcomed by some residents.
Abnormally dry conditions have crept northward through the Great Lakes region in recent weeks according to the US Drought Monitor, so the weekend rainfall in the area is expected help to alleviate those concerns. Downpours may help to water some fields, orchards, vineyards, lawns and backyard gardens along the way.
In addition to drenching rainfall, a more confined area, from southern Ontario to the central Indiana and Ohio, can expect severe thunderstorms to erupt.
Meteorologists are concerned about heavy downpours, that can cause localized flooding issues, as well as strong wind gusts up to an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 70 mph. Following the thunderstorms that brought wind damage Thursday afternoon and evening, another round of wind may make it easier for tree limbs to topple.
Residents in the area should keep updated on the changing weather in the region, especially if they are outdoors in the afternoon and evening, or perhaps trying to get a glimpse of the Neowise comet.
Behind the storms, a wave of slightly cooler air will filter in to start, with more relieving conditions by Monday. Much of the Great Lakes will finally see a drop in humidity as well, bringing down the AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures that peaked near 100 degrees on Sunday afternoon.
While more comfortable conditions usher in across the Great Lakes, the Northeast Atlantic coast is threatened by gusty thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Hot and humid conditions will hold across New England down through the mid-Atlantic early on Monday. These conditions, combined with the cold front that swept thunderstorms through the eastern Great Lakes on Sunday, may create some stronger storms again on Monday afternoon and evening.
"At this time, thunderstorms look to be more isolated in coverage on Monday. However, any storm that does develop could contain some brief downpours and gusty winds," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Bill Deger.
Cities in New England, like Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, as well as Baltimore and Washington, D.C. could all feel the impacts of these thunderstorms.
Related:
At the peak of their intensity, thunderstorms brought a whopping 101-mph wind gust in Churchs Ferry, North Dakota, on Friday. While wind gusts of that caliber are not expected this weekend, there will be thunderstorms capable of producing life-threatening hazards.
The thunderstorms set to target the Great Lakes on Sunday will have plenty of "fuel" for development as hot and humid air surges northward into the region. A storm system in the upper levels of the atmosphere tracking along the Canadian border will also be in place to provide the forcing mechanism needed to spark severe thunderstorms once again.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo