Severe weather risk to accompany next warmup in Midwest
Sharply colder air that settled in to close out the week in the Midwest and Northeast will give way to warmer days later this weekend to next week, but the return of warmth is likely to spark severe weather.
After a cold weekend, heat and severe weather will return early next week to the Midwest. Bernie Rayno breaks down when and whether the severe weather will setup.
Spring in the Midwest and Northeast often brings sharp swings in temperatures and weather conditions. The pattern over the next week will be a prime example, featuring roller-coaster temperatures with sunny days interspersed with rain or storms.
While the cold air shock will have passed in the Midwest and Northeast by Saturday, it will just be settling into parts of the Southeast, where temperatures will be 15-30 degrees Fahrenheit lower than Friday.
People spending extended time outdoors should dress warmly and wear layers that can be shed from morning to afternoon.
The cold spell will be short-lived, with a warmup on track to build into the Midwest and Northeast during the second half of the weekend.
As high pressure settles over the Southeast, a southwest breeze will push warmer air from the Plains into the Midwest and Northeast on Sunday and Monday.
Temperatures in St. Louis will jump 15 degrees from Saturday to Sunday, reaching the lower 70s, then climb well into the 80s on Monday and Tuesday.
A similar warming trend is expected in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Detroit, New York City and Boston. In Washington, D.C., where cherry blossoms are at their peak this weekend, highs will trend down to near 50 on Saturday, then trend up to the mid-60s on Sunday, near 70 on Monday and into the 80s on Tuesday.
Severe storms to focus on Midwest
As the warmth peaks from Monday to Tuesday, thunderstorms are expected to develop, with some turning severe across parts of the Upper Midwest.
Sporadic severe thunderstorms are forecast from late Monday into Monday night from central Iowa to central Ohio, including southern Wisconsin and Michigan.
The main threats will be damaging hail and wind gusts. The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ is 75 mph.
On Tuesday, the severe weather threat is likely to expand across the Midwest, though the intensity and coverage will depend on the speed and track of a storm approaching from the west.
AccuWeather meteorologists have outlined a zone from eastern Kansas and Nebraska to western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia at risk for severe thunderstorms. The stronger storms could produce damaging winds, hail and a few tornadoes.
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Easter weekend could be wet for many
Later next week and possibly through the Easter weekend, rounds of drenching rain and gusty thunderstorms may stretch from Texas to New England.
While rain will not fall continuously across the region, severe weather and flooding are possible in some locations. More details will be provided in the coming days.
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