Severe Storms Raise Hail Storm Risk From Oklahoma to Iowa
Severe storms are back in the forecast this weekend, and the hail storm threat stretches from Oklahoma to Iowa. The same setup also carries a tornado risk for parts of the central U.S. through Monday.
The forecast covers a broad corridor from northern Texas to southeastern Nebraska, including Kansas City and Wichita, Kansas. Cities such as Des Moines, Kansas City and Omaha are among the places that need to stay weather aware for Sunday’s system.
Thursday and Friday storms
Strong storms are likely Thursday in eastern Kansas, northern Missouri and parts of neighboring states. A few strong storms are possible in the Central Plains on Friday, with the system tied to a dryline, the boundary where hot, dry air meets warm, moist air.
That setup can force air upward fast enough to support severe weather, and forecasters expect the threat to continue day by day from Thursday through Monday. The region already includes areas hit in March and April, and damaging winds and tornadoes are possible again in many of those same places.
Sunday threat shifts east
The weekend threat broadens on Sunday, when severe storms are expected from the northeast portion of the Texas Panhandle to southwestern Wisconsin. That puts several major cities back in the zone, including Des Moines, Kansas City and Omaha.
May is the peak tornado month across the Lower 48, so the timing of this round fits the most active part of the spring severe-weather season. The forecast does not stop with Sunday: a storm system is expected to move across the central U.S. on Monday and could bring more severe weather.
Monday system across the central U.S.
The Storm Prediction Center has not issued a polygon for Monday, but the broader storm system is still expected to move through the central U.S. The practical takeaway for residents from Oklahoma to Iowa is to follow the forecast closely through the weekend and into Monday, because the threat is spread across several days rather than one short window.
