Rounds of severe thunderstorms are forecast to sweep across the Midwest and Northeast over the next several days, bringing threats of damaging winds, large hail, and localized flooding.
Midwest Hit First With Intense Storms
Thunderstorms that began late Tuesday and continued into Wednesday morning have already unleashed destructive winds across South Dakota and Minnesota. Notably, Huron, South Dakota, recorded a wind gust of 82 mph, with many other areas experiencing gusts between 70 and 80 mph.
The severe weather zone on Wednesday stretches from eastern Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado through Wisconsin, Minnesota, and into northern Michigan. This corridor remains under threat for damaging hail and violent wind gusts, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ wind gust projected to reach 90 mph.
Minneapolis is expected to be a key location in the path of multiple storm systems throughout Wednesday night, with conditions ripe for repeated rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms.
Storms Shift East and South on Thursday
By Thursday, a pocket of cooler and drier air is forecast to push the storm activity eastward and southward. The next round of storms could hit central and southeastern Ontario, extending all the way down to western Oklahoma.
Severe thunderstorms in this area will be capable of producing wind gusts up to 75 mph, especially during the afternoon and evening hours. Major metro areas potentially impacted include:
- Chicago, IL
- Detroit, MI
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Kansas City, MO
These storms may also produce isolated hail and localized flooding, particularly in low-lying or poorly drained areas.
Northeast in the Crosshairs by Friday
On Friday, the severe weather risk shifts to the Northeast, mirroring the conditions expected in the Midwest a day earlier. Localized strong wind gusts, again with an AccuWeather StormMax™ of 75 mph, will be the primary hazard.
Thunderstorms are expected to erupt in the afternoon and evening, targeting areas from:
- The Interstate 95 corridor in Maine
- Through northwestern New Jersey
- Into northeastern and north-central Pennsylvania
What to Expect
In both regions, the storms are expected to bring:
- Damaging straight-line winds
- Hail up to 1 inch or more
- Heavy downpours, which may trigger flash flooding
- Power outages and tree damage in storm-impacted areas
