Severe Storm Risks Loom Over Plains and Midwest This Week
Lubbock, TX — As April nears its end, the Plains and Midwest face a series of severe thunderstorms starting late Sunday and continuing into following days. These storms pose threats of tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, and flash flooding.
The storm system expected to sweep across this region could initiate its first storms in the High Plains, covering areas from the Dakotas to western Texas. Meteorologists project that any isolated supercell storms developing in this phase could bring damaging hail and winds.
Starting Monday afternoon and evening, a more widespread severe weather threat will materialize as the storm advances eastward. Areas from Minnesota and Wisconsin down to Oklahoma are at risk, especially a corridor stretching from southern Minnesota through Iowa, northern Missouri, and eastern Kansas, including urban areas like Minneapolis, Des Moines, and Kansas City.
Strong tornadoes, measuring EF2 or greater, along with large hail and high winds, mark possible dangers in these areas. On Tuesday, a broad section from the eastern Great Lakes to the Ohio and mid-Mississippi valleys, including northern Texas, may also experience severe weather conditions.
Warnings of wind damage, hail, and isolated tornado threats could extend across major cities such as Dallas-Fort Worth, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh. Heavy rainfall raises the risk of flash flooding, particularly in the wake of preceding rainstorms.
People across the affected areas must stay informed and have multiple ways to receive warnings, such as weather apps, local media, and NOAA Weather Radios. Relying solely on outdoor sirens, which are designed to alert those outdoors, is not advisable.
A pronounced jet stream plunge from the West is set to influence conditions in the Plains and Midwest early in the week ahead. The combination of strong upper-level winds and a surface low-pressure system interacting with warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico is typical for spring in these regions and often leads to severe thunderstorms.
Experience in meteorology helps guide predictions for this tumultuous weather week ahead. Meteorologists advise that the threat level and impact areas may change, urging residents to stay updated through reliable weather sources.
