Tireless severe storms to repeat from Plains to mid-Atlantic
Severe thunderstorms will tend to favor two areas on a daily basis into the weekend. One in the mid-Atlantic and the other over the Plains.
An EF3 tornado appeared to briefly lift a semi-truck, nearly flipping it over, as it tore across a freeway in Effingham, Illinois, on June 17.
Travelers and those with outdoor plans will have to do more than just dodge raindrops and lightning bolts in the coming days from parts of the Great Plains to the mid-Atlantic coast, as thunderstorms erupt and become severe in localized areas. The storms will occur ahead of a new heat dome forecast to build over the region.
A broad zone of moisture will persist and be turned over by the July sun. Areas where ripples in the jet stream or waves of low pressure along a stalled front become involved will be favored for more organized thunderstorm activity above the typical garden-variety summer downpour.
A bolt of lightning strikes before the start of the New York City fireworks show, as seen from Bayonne, New Jersey, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Below is a day-by-day and regional explanation of where AccuWeather meteorologists believe the severe storms may occur.
Friday evening storms bring flash flooding potential
Into Friday night, some risk of severe weather is anticipated from eastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico to southern Nebraska, much of Kansas and Missouri and to the western partes of Kentucky and Tennessee.
The main threats will be from strong wind gusts and flash flooding along with the risk for a few tornadoes.
Once again, a bubble of severe weather is forecast for the East into Friday evening. The zone with potential severe weather will extend from northern South Carolina to southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
"Because of the high amount of moisture in the air the thunderstorms in the East will tend to be spotty but mighty with localized flash flooding, as well as microburst wind gusts," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
Severe storms to rumble during the weekend
A few severe thunderstorms are forecast to prowl the zone from northeastern Oklahoma, through Tennessee into northern Georgia and much of Virginia and the Carolinas on Saturday afternoon and evening.
Once again, the greatest risk from the storms will be from downbursts that can bring localized strong wind gusts and flash flooding.
The risk of severe weather will center a bit farther south on Sunday than on Saturday, reaching from Louisiana through portions of Mississippi and Alabama, and farther east into much of Georgia and the Carolinas.
AccuWeather meteorologists are closely monitoring a zone of repeating downpours in the absence of storms packing high winds or hail. That flash flood risk zone extends across much of the Ohio Valley and into the southern part of the Appalachians. Another active zone for downpours will develop over the Gulf Coast states.
Despite all the risks from wind, hail and flash flooding, the most common hazard for those outdoors will be lightning, and it does not take a severe thunderstorm to produce a dangerous strike.
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