Gusty thunderstorms to precede quick cooldown in north-central US
The risk of locally gusty thunderstorms may extend into midweek in parts of the central United States ahead of a push of cooler air.
People ran for cover as hail pelted Kansas communities during severe thunderstorms on Oct. 21.
Thunderstorms swept through the Great Plains, bringing hail to several areas and sparking severe weather from northwestern Texas to western and central Nebraska on Monday. AccuWeather meteorologists say gusty thunderstorms are also expected to hit parts of the Midwest on Tuesday and the eastern Great Lakes on Wednesday.
AccuWeather’s Tony Laubach reported live from Kansas on the afternoon of Oct. 21 as fall thunderstorms swept across the region, dumping intense hail.
While moisture was limited, and although the region is well short of prime severe weather in April and May, some of the storms in Kansas produced hail over an inch in diameter.
As the storm continues to weaken and lift northward into Wednesday evening, the potential for severe weather will decrease. However, strong gusty winds can still occur in spotty showers and thunderstorm activity.
The spotty thunderstorm zone will be from Missouri and Illinois, northward to Minnesota and Wisconsin, on Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday, the potential for a couple of gusty thunderstorms will shift farther to the east in the Great Lakes region and will focus on western, central and northern New York and southeastern Ontario.
The combination of gusty winds ahead of the front, dry ground and any spark from lightning, power equipment or downed utility lines can trigger a fast-moving brush fire.
Sporadic showers and thunderstorms will occur along and ahead of a strong cool front, which will abruptly end the summerlike warmth that has been in place for many days over the North Central states.
Temperatures through Wednesday will be slashed by 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit. Highs in the 70s and 80s will be swapped with highs in the 40s, 50s and 60s from the Dakotas to Michigan, Illinois and Indiana.
Cooler air will settle in farther to the south over the Plains. However, it will likely take until the latter part of the week for record-challenging highs in the 80s and low 90s in Kansas, Oklahoma and northern Texas to be swapped out with highs in the 60s and 70s.
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