Storms could turn severe, help drought in central US
The same system spreading snow over the Rockies will bring the risk of severe thunderstorms to the Plains later this week, which could disrupt football games across the region.
Some people are noticing their insurance rates have gone up after filing a claim for hail damage.
A system over the central and southern Plains in addition to a new system emerging from the western United States could be the spark that ignites a risk for severe weather later this week and into the start of the weekend, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
The first of several severe weather risks will ignite over the plains late in the day Thursday as a system coupled with a plume of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico enters the area. Thunderstorms can turn severe in some areas, bringing risks such as hail, damaging winds and even an isolated tornado.
By Friday, the same feature responsible for spreading cooler conditions and the chances for accumulating snow across the highest elevations of the Northwest will charge eastward out of the Rocky Mountains and will take shape over the Central states.
An area of low pressure will trigger rounds of thunderstorms, some of which can turn severe, as it enters the Plains. An influx of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will help to fuel the storms, some of which can bring drenching rainfall.
Potent thunderstorms can erupt from southern South Dakota into Nebraska Friday before shifting into areas of Iowa and northern Kansas Friday night. The primary risks associated with thunderstorms Friday will be hail and localized damaging winds, but tornadoes will remain possible.
Cities at risk for more robust storms as the week comes to an end will be Lincoln, Nebraska; Omaha, Nebraska; and Des Moines, Iowa. Due to the time frame that storms move across the region, it is not out of the question that outdoor events such as high school football games could be delayed or canceled due to storms and nearby lightning.
By Saturday, a more expansive corridor from Minnesota to Oklahoma will be at risk for strong to severe thunderstorms as the storm slowly shifts across the Plains. A cold front associated with this feature will stretch across the region and help to ignite storms across the central Plains.
Forecasters say that the zone where these storms are expected to develop is not typical for this time of year.
"During early autumn, it is not common for severe weather to reach into the North Central states," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Benz explained. Typically, if strong to severe storms develop across the Plains during the month of September, they occur closer to the South Central states.
Travelers may encounter reduced visibility at times in the heaviest downpours. Impacts on air travel can arise across the main metro areas across the Plains due to the risk of storms bringing gusty winds, hail and intense downpours.
College football games such as the Louisiana Tech and Nebraska lineup taking place at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, Saturday afternoon could be disrupted by area thunderstorms. Additionally, the University of Central Florida Knights will be taking on Kansas State Saturday evening in Manhattan, Kansas, and storms moving across the region during the daytime could impact tailgating festivities prior to the game.
Rainfall will be beneficial for drought, river levels
Many areas across the Plains are facing some degree of drought, ranging from moderate to exceptional drought in some locations, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities such as Lincoln, Nebraska, and Minneapolis have only received about 70% of their typical rainfall so far this year compared to historical averages.
"Month after month, many spots across the Plains have underachieved with respect to rainfall, and it is impacting the river levels," stated Benz.
The Mississippi River is currently nearing historically low levels for a second consecutive year, even though the gauges along the river reached their seventh-highest crest in recorded history in May due to flooding rainfall. Now, the low river levels are resulting in a multitude of transportation challenges for local businesses.
Tugboats work in low water levels along the Mississippi River, Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in St. Louis. A long stretch of hot, dry weather has left the Mississippi River so low that barge companies are reducing their loads just as Midwest farmers are preparing to harvest their crops and send tons of corn and soybeans downriver to the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Farmers across the Central states that are preparing for the fall harvesting season are facing struggles as they try to transport crops such as soybeans and corn downriver. Local farmers that rely on the Mississippi River to ship their products to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond are now encountering high transport prices, according to a report by The Associated Press.
Benz added that this is turning into a similar situation to last year; however, in this case it is a more widespread issue since more tributaries are being impacted.
Although the thunderstorms that are expected to spread across the Plains may bring travel disruptions and impact outdoor plans, any rain across the Plains will prove beneficial for the river levels and drought conditions.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Elizabeth Danco contributed to this story.
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