Multi-day stretch of severe weather to disrupt travel, threaten lives in north-central US
As a heat wave builds in the southern Plains this week, several rounds of strong-to-severe thunderstorms will ride along the northern periphery of the heat dome and target the north-central United States.
The coverage of damaging wind, hail and even tornado reports is forecast to increase significantly through midweek.
"It appears that the severe weather threat will ramp up in a big way this week across the northern Plains,” said AccuWeather Extreme Meteorologist Reed Timmer.
The first round of storms got underway on Tuesday evening in the Dakotas, unleashing damaging wind gusts between 60-70 mph.
Behind the storms from Tuesday, cooler pushed southward out of Canada on Wednesday and rearranged the severe weather threat area for Wednesday night, compared to Tuesday night.
On Wednesday evening, a tornado touched down near Laramie, Wyoming, tracking just north of the town.
Strong winds and golf ball-sized hail were also reported in storms from eastern Nebraska through central Iowa.
A tornado that tracked just north of Laramie, Wyoming, on Wednesday evening. (Photo/Aaron Voos)
Areas from the Colorado and Nebraska border through much of Nebraska, western Kansas, southern Minnesota and Iowa, will be at risk for life-threatening storms into Wednesday night.
Isolated severe storms may extend into central Wyoming and as far south as part of western Texas.
Cities that lie within Wednesday evening's threat zone include Omaha, Lincoln and North Platte, Nebraska; Des Moines, Iowa; and Goodland, Kansas.
Extensive portions of interstates 29, 80 and 90 may be impacted by these storms. Anybody with travel plans or even making the drive to and from work should remain cognizant of the latest severe weather alerts and be prepared for dangerous crosswinds and rapid reductions in visibility.
Because much of the morning and early afternoon hours are likely to remain rain-free across much of the risk area, outdoor enthusiasts can still take advantage of the warmth, but should be wary of darkening skies late in the day and position themselves close to an indoor shelter.
Widespread wind gusts of 60-70 mph are possible across the north-central Plains through midweek. Winds of this intensity are more than enough to bring down trees and power lines, as well as blow shingles off roofs and cause home and property damage.
If a tornado warning is issued, seek shelter in a storm cellar or basement immediately. Never seek shelter under a bridge or overpass, since debris can get easily channeled through tight, narrow spaces.
Vehicles can get severely damaged and even completely destroyed by large hail, so residents should make keeping their vehicles in a garage or other closed shelter a priority this week in order to eliminate this risk.
The northern and central Plains are likely to experience another round of severe weather on Thursday.
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