A significant severe thunderstorm threat is anticipated to impact the central US early next week, posing risks of destructive wind gusts, hail, and tornadoes. While forecasts are still evolving, it is evident that a large portion of the Plains, Mississippi Valley, and Midwest regions should closely monitor the weather on Monday and Tuesday.
The upcoming unseasonably warm weekend will set the stage for potentially damaging storms by early next week. The combination of warmth and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico will leave areas from Texas to Iowa susceptible to severe weather on Monday.
A Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms has been issued from northern Texas to southern Kansas for Monday, as per the Storm Prediction Center. Thunderstorms are expected to initiate in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas on Monday afternoon, with the most hazardous impacts likely in the evening.
The storms could bring hail ranging from the size of quarters to baseballs, damaging wind gusts, and tornadoes. The greatest tornado threat may focus on Oklahoma, aligning with the typical peak of severe weather activity in May for Texas and Oklahoma.
As the storms progress into Monday night, they are forecast to extend into Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas, with simultaneous thunderstorm activity across the Plains and parts of the Mississippi Valley. Cities like Oklahoma City, Fort Worth, Wichita, and Kansas City could experience damaging storms, including possible tornadoes, after dark.
Given the heightened risk of nighttime tornadoes, it is crucial to have multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings, such as enabling emergency alerts on smartphones and ensuring devices are charged and set to loud volumes.
The severe weather is expected to persist into Tuesday morning, with the potential for storms to track through more of the Mississippi Valley and parts of the Midwest. The primary threats on Tuesday mirror those of Monday: damaging wind gusts, hail, and potential tornadoes.
In addition to severe weather, heavy rainfall from the storm system may lead to flooding issues, while gusty winds west of the stormy weather could pose wildfire spread risks in areas like New Mexico, where drought conditions prevail.
