Waves of severe storms will sweep across the eastern United States early this week, bringing the chance of very large hail, significant tornadoes and a multiday flash flood.
As is typical for this time of year, colder, drier air will forcefully clash with warmer moist air, creating the perfect conditions for storms to form across the Midwest and the Southeast. Over the weekend, hundreds of thousands of people lost power as ice storms swept across the upper Midwest and Canada, while damaging winds knocked down trees across the central United States and the Southeast.
Monday’s storms may be intense, with the possibility of a few tornadoes. And, after a brief break, more severe weather is expected on Wednesday.
Thunderstorms with damaging winds are sweeping through the East Coast.
Storms across the South on Monday morning had already brought damaging wind gusts to Louisiana and even hail to northern Alabama; New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana were under flash flood warnings early in the day.
As the storms drive east across Georgia, including the city of Atlanta, the primary threat will be straight-line winds, or powerful winds from a severe storm capable of snapping branches, sometimes toppling trees and power lines.
By the afternoon, the storms are expected to reach the Carolinas and continue to move north through the Mid-Atlantic, reaching the western side of the New York City metropolitan area. There is a possibility of thunderstorms, some of which could produce damaging wind gusts and some hail, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in New York City said.
Showers are expected linger through Tuesday morning before completely pushing off into the Atlantic as the next round of storms takes shape across the Plains.
Another outbreak of severe storms is forecast for Wednesday.
On Tuesday, there is at least some threat of severe storms across the Plains with hail the size of golf balls or even baseballs, and the possibility of a few tornadoes.
But Wednesday is when forecasters anticipate more violent threats. An outbreak of severe storms is possible from Texas to Michigan on Wednesday and Wednesday night, forecasters with the Storm Prediction Center said; the storms could include significant tornadoes, severe wind gusts and large hail.
There is a moderate risk of numerous severe storms, similar in intensity to those that typically occur once or twice a year. Storms in the area will most likely vary in intensity, and a few could be persistent and intense. Areas at risk include Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus, Memphis and Nashville.
A risk level this high two days out typically means forecasters are fairly confident, though the risk level could change over the next couple of days.
(You can track the risk with our weather maps here.)
Flooding is also a significant concern.
The rainfall from these severe storms will also set the stage for the potential for significant flooding, primarily across western Tennessee, western Kentucky and Arkansas, for several days beginning Wednesday and lasting at least through Friday.
Urban areas and roads prone to flash flooding are most likely to be affected. Streams may also flood, which could lead rivers to flood, too.
Judson Jones is a meteorologist and reporter for The Times who forecasts and covers extreme weather. More about Judson Jones
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