New round of severe weather to pound US Plains to end the weekend
Another round of severe weather will take aim at areas from Wyoming and Colorado to Oklahoma into Sunday night.
People spending time outdoors or on the road will need to keep an eye out for changing conditions.
The full spectrum of severe weather is forecast for portions of the High Plains and areas farther to the east over the central and southern Plains to close out the weekend.
The threats to lives and property will range from large hail and damaging straight-line wind gusts to frequent lightning strikes, flash flooding and isolated tornadoes. Hail larger than golf balls can smash windows, dent vehicles and injure anyone caught outdoors. Wind gusts may top 70 mph.
On Saturday night, wind gusts reached 88 mph as a violent thunderstorm rolled through Grand Island, Nebraska.
Essentially, the same concentrated area from eastern Wyoming to the Oklahoma Panhandle will be at risk for damaging wind gusts, large hail and perhaps an isolated tornado to end the weekend. The violent thunderstorms are also expected to track westward across Oklahoma.
Cities in the path of the severe weather include Cheyenne, Wyoming; Denver and Pueblo, Colorado; Dodge City, Kansas; and Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Aside from the risk of flooding downpours with the storms over the Plains, some areas experiencing abnormally dry conditions to exceptional drought may get temporary relief during the pattern through this weekend.
Where a thorough soaking occurs, the risk of wildfire ignition will be significantly toned down.
A turn to drier weather is expected Monday into Tuesday with heat relief finally pressing into the southern Plains.
Download the free AccuWeather app to stay alert for severe weather.
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