A multi-day severe thunderstorm is heading to 130M across the Midwest, Northeast
The threat of severe weather for several days is expected to intensify Wednesday, affecting more than 135 million people across the Midwest and Northeast through Thursday, with storms capable of producing large hail, damaging tornadoes, and tornadoes.
A large dip in the jet stream has now settled over the Midwest, helping to trigger daily thunderstorms as it slowly moves east through the week.
Dew points in the 50s and low 60s, along with strong daytime heating, will help fuel all forms of severe weather, while raising the risk of localized flooding.
Supercell thunderstorms developed across the Dakotas on Tuesday, creating a strong storm.
Farther south, winds gusted to 90 mph in Kansas, and two weak tornadoes were confirmed outside the first hurricane warning area in Michigan’s Saginaw Valley.
On Wednesday, the focus shifts to the east as a parent low pressure area moves into Canada, while a cold front will begin to move through the Upper Midwest.
More than 35 million people across the Midwest are under threat from Wednesday’s severe weather, including the Milwaukee and Chicago metro areas.
Large hail and tornadoes will be the biggest risks Wednesday afternoon for parts of southeastern Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, eastern Iowa, northeastern Kansas, and northeastern Kansas, where NOAA has issued a Level 3 of 5 severe thunderstorm risk.
In the evening, wind gusts up to 75 mph are expected across Wisconsin before moving into northern Illinois around midnight.
A second round of strong storms capable of producing large hail across eastern Nebraska, southern Iowa, and the Mid-Missouri Valley through Wednesday night.
Severe flooding is also possible with repeated storms and high humidity, with rainfall rates of more than 2 inches per hour.
A severe storm threat extends from Texas to the Northeast as Chicago and St. Louis eye and strong storms
On Thursday, the threat shifts to the Midwest, with a severe Level 3 thunderstorm risk affecting more than 20 million people across the Midwest, including metro areas of Chicago, St. Louis, and Milwaukee.
The threat of severe weather extends to the Ohio Valley and the Northeast, covering more than 125 million people.
Storms will continue to develop this afternoon and evening in the cold front as it moves east, with all the severe weather hazards possible as well.
Additionally, these moist storms can bring the potential for low-risk severe flooding, with total rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches possible across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois.
Local amounts of more than 2 to 3 inches occur when storms move slowly or repeatedly track over the same areas.
