Severe storms to rumble across north-central US into Thursday night
No, it's not a tornado, its actually, according to our Reed Timmer, known as a "scud bomb". The phenomenon occurs when the cold outflow from a storm condenses as it rolls off foothills.
The latest round of severe thunderstorms for the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, as well as adjacent areas of Canada, is in store into Friday.
The greatest threats from the storms will be straight-line wind gusts to 70 mph, flash flooding and hail.
However, as is the case with severe thunderstorms, there is almost always the potential for a tornado to be spawned.
Locally severe storms affected the Rapid City, South Dakota, area at midweek.
"On Thursday, the severe thunderstorm risk is likely to become more extensive," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.
The area at risk into Thursday night will extend from the eastern parts of the Dakotas to much of western and central Minnesota and parts of western Ontario and southeastern Manitoba.
Cities at risk for severe weather on Thursday include argo and Grand Forks, North Dakota; International Falls and St. Cloud, Minnesota; and Kenora, Ontario.
On Friday, the potential for locally severe thunderstorms will continue to migrate eastward.
Heavy, gusty and perhaps a few damaging storms may occur in central and southeastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Download the free AccuWeather app for more details on when storms may affect your community. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
