Damaging storms to continue hammering Midwest
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Aug 25, 2021 9:17 PM EST
AccuWeather meteorologists are concerned that some communities from the Dakotas and Nebraska to Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois can be hit hard with dangerous and damaging storms and torrential rainfall through Friday.
"While a major outbreak of severe thunderstorms is not anticipated, the main threats from the thunderstorms will be from strong wind gusts that can reach as high as 80 mph and flash flooding in some cases," AccuWeather Meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo said. A few incidents of large hail are possible as well.
The pattern will be set up by a bubble of strong high pressure with hot and humid air that is forecast to linger over Oklahoma into the end of the week, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson.
"Showers and thunderstorms will fire and repeat over the northern edge of this zone of high pressure close to the area where the jet stream will be," Anderson explained.
Major cities at risk for flash flooding into late week include Des Moines, Iowa; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Minneapolis; Milwaukee, Chicago and perhaps Detroit.
Mother Nature has demonstrated in recent days that a large outbreak of severe thunderstorms is not needed to pose a serious risk to lives and property, as evidenced by the shocking and tragic flash flood that unfolded in Waverly, Tennessee, on Saturday. The incident is an example of what can happen when complexes of drenching thunderstorms repeat over the same area for several hours, a meteorological effect known as "training."
On Tuesday and Tuesday night, severe storms with strong winds and torrential downpours extended from portions of Minnesota and Iowa to Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. Over 26,000 customers were without power across Illinois Tuesday night as the storms swept through, and Michigan saw the highest number of power outages with over 116,000 customers left in the dark.
Part of the Chicago area was hammered with torrential downpours Tuesday evening with 1-2 inches of rain falling in some neighborhoods that triggered street flooding.
Severe thunderstorms swept from Iowa to Michigan into Tuesday evening, knocking out power across the states. (AccuWeather)
Wednesday night, heavy, gusty and locally severe thunderstorms swept from eastern Montana and the western part of the Dakotas to much of Nebraska to the Lower Peninsula of Michigan to Ohio, central Pennsylvania and western New York state.
High pressure over the southern Plains may break down and allow the pattern to break up a bit during the latter part of the week. However, one pattern of showers and thunderstorms may hand off to another wet and thundery pattern from the northern Plains and parts of the Midwest.
On Thursday, the risk of heavy, gusty and severe thunderstorms is forecast to extend from parts of Montana to southern Minnesota and much of Iowa. The main threats this day will be from high wind gusts and flash flooding with the potential for isolated hail.
This graphic shows the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center forecast for severe thunderstorm potential for Thursday and Thursday night.
On Friday, the main storm threat may extend from the Dakotas to Wisconsin.
Many locations from the Dakotas and Nebraska to northern Iowa and Minnesota are in need of rain with summer conditions ranging from abnormally dry to exceptional drought, according to data from the United States Drought Monitor. Since June 1, rainfall in much of this area generally ranges from 40-60% of average. While any non-flooding rainfall is welcomed, it may be too late to be of much value for this year's growing season.
AccuWeather meteorologists urge residents to stay up to date when severe weather threatens their area and conditions can change rapidly. Motorists should never attempt to drive through flooded roads. Water can quickly cause vehicles to stall and float downstream, or the road may be washed out underneath the water.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Localized severe weather was reported at the beginning of the week, with one storm in Butte County, South Dakota, unleashing 80 mph wind gusts Monday evening. Later Monday night, a 91 mph wind gust was reported in Brown County, South Dakota.
There were at least three dozen reports of severe weather Monday. Most incidents were related to high winds, with a handful of reports of tornadoes and large hail.
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
Damaging storms to continue hammering Midwest
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Aug 25, 2021 9:17 PM EST
AccuWeather meteorologists are concerned that some communities from the Dakotas and Nebraska to Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois can be hit hard with dangerous and damaging storms and torrential rainfall through Friday.
"While a major outbreak of severe thunderstorms is not anticipated, the main threats from the thunderstorms will be from strong wind gusts that can reach as high as 80 mph and flash flooding in some cases," AccuWeather Meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo said. A few incidents of large hail are possible as well.
The pattern will be set up by a bubble of strong high pressure with hot and humid air that is forecast to linger over Oklahoma into the end of the week, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson.
"Showers and thunderstorms will fire and repeat over the northern edge of this zone of high pressure close to the area where the jet stream will be," Anderson explained.
Major cities at risk for flash flooding into late week include Des Moines, Iowa; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Minneapolis; Milwaukee, Chicago and perhaps Detroit.
Mother Nature has demonstrated in recent days that a large outbreak of severe thunderstorms is not needed to pose a serious risk to lives and property, as evidenced by the shocking and tragic flash flood that unfolded in Waverly, Tennessee, on Saturday. The incident is an example of what can happen when complexes of drenching thunderstorms repeat over the same area for several hours, a meteorological effect known as "training."
On Tuesday and Tuesday night, severe storms with strong winds and torrential downpours extended from portions of Minnesota and Iowa to Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. Over 26,000 customers were without power across Illinois Tuesday night as the storms swept through, and Michigan saw the highest number of power outages with over 116,000 customers left in the dark.
Part of the Chicago area was hammered with torrential downpours Tuesday evening with 1-2 inches of rain falling in some neighborhoods that triggered street flooding.
Severe thunderstorms swept from Iowa to Michigan into Tuesday evening, knocking out power across the states. (AccuWeather)
Wednesday night, heavy, gusty and locally severe thunderstorms swept from eastern Montana and the western part of the Dakotas to much of Nebraska to the Lower Peninsula of Michigan to Ohio, central Pennsylvania and western New York state.
High pressure over the southern Plains may break down and allow the pattern to break up a bit during the latter part of the week. However, one pattern of showers and thunderstorms may hand off to another wet and thundery pattern from the northern Plains and parts of the Midwest.
On Thursday, the risk of heavy, gusty and severe thunderstorms is forecast to extend from parts of Montana to southern Minnesota and much of Iowa. The main threats this day will be from high wind gusts and flash flooding with the potential for isolated hail.
This graphic shows the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center forecast for severe thunderstorm potential for Thursday and Thursday night.
On Friday, the main storm threat may extend from the Dakotas to Wisconsin.
Many locations from the Dakotas and Nebraska to northern Iowa and Minnesota are in need of rain with summer conditions ranging from abnormally dry to exceptional drought, according to data from the United States Drought Monitor. Since June 1, rainfall in much of this area generally ranges from 40-60% of average. While any non-flooding rainfall is welcomed, it may be too late to be of much value for this year's growing season.
AccuWeather meteorologists urge residents to stay up to date when severe weather threatens their area and conditions can change rapidly. Motorists should never attempt to drive through flooded roads. Water can quickly cause vehicles to stall and float downstream, or the road may be washed out underneath the water.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Localized severe weather was reported at the beginning of the week, with one storm in Butte County, South Dakota, unleashing 80 mph wind gusts Monday evening. Later Monday night, a 91 mph wind gust was reported in Brown County, South Dakota.
There were at least three dozen reports of severe weather Monday. Most incidents were related to high winds, with a handful of reports of tornadoes and large hail.
MORE WEATHER NEWS:
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo