Risk for severe storms, flooding downpours to be renewed in the Plains this week
Following a relative lull in thunderstorm activity, severe weather and flash flood threats will return to a large swath of the nation's midsection later this week, warn AccuWeather meteorologists.
Storms packing damaging wind gusts and hail, as well as repeated downpours that can overwhelm storm drains but deliver some drought relief, can be expected across part of the Heartland each day through Thursday.
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AccuWeather meteorologists say the severe weather threat that began Tuesday will continue into Wednesday and Thursday.
"After a recent quiet period in terms of severe weather, storms will return to portions of the Central states this week and are expected to bring rain, wind and hail," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Gwen Fieweger.
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By Wednesday, the risk will reach east and encompass millions more, including around Omaha.
"Alongside the risk for localized flash flooding, severe wind gusts are also a concern this week, and hail will be a possibility as well on Wednesday," said Fieweger.
The thunderstorms will be most likely each afternoon and evening, as daytime heating will drive their development and strengthening. They will roll to the east, impacting travelers along portions of Interstates 40, 70, 80, 90 and 94.
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On Thursday, the threat pushes east once again and a swath of the northern Midwest will have the return of thunderstorms, including around Minneapolis.
It'll be a similar story on Wednesday and Thursday with thunderstorms accompanied by drenching downpours and the risk for damaging wind gusts and hail. However, isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out on Thursday.
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Perhaps the greatest and most widespread concern this week will be from heavy rain, which can lead to flash flooding, but also relieve drought conditions, say AccuWeather meteorologists.
"As the week progresses, each successive round of rain tracking over the central and northern Plains will begin to increase the risk for localized flooding issues," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
In many instances, multiple thunderstorms can track over the same areas in the course of just a few hours' time, leading to several inches of rain and downpours that can overwhelm drainage systems.
The flood risk may come in two waves over the next week-the first coming with the severe weather risk into Wednesday, and another this weekend as another storm emerges from the West.
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For those with agricultural interests, the prospects of heavy rain is not all bad news.
"Although there is a risk for flooding from the series of events, the rain will be beneficial for the major rivers in the region and farther downstream, especially across the Mississippi and Missouri River basins," added Buckingham.
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According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor released last Thursday, large swaths of the nation's midsection were abnormally dry or under drought conditions. The most severe drought was located over portions of Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana and the western Dakotas, many of the same areas expected to see rounds of heavy rain this week.
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