The next spring storm system is being tracked by the FOX Forecast Center in Chicago as it sweeps across the U.S. This system could potentially bring severe weather to parts of the Midwest and South this week, affecting cities like Chicago and Indianapolis. Meanwhile, a potential blizzard is brewing over the Plains on the colder side of the system.
Forecasters have stated that while severe storms are a possibility, they are not expected to be as severe as the recent deadly weather outbreak that caused devastation across the Heartland and South, resulting in at least 42 fatalities from Texas to North Carolina.
In addition to the severe weather, the FOX Forecast Center is monitoring the potential for a blizzard that may bring snow and high winds to portions of the Plains.
The warm side of the storm system is forecasted to produce strong to severe thunderstorms in parts of Nebraska and Iowa on Tuesday night, with the possibility of near-blizzard conditions as the storm strengthens and pulls in colder air from the north.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed this region at a level 1 out of 5 risk on its severe thunderstorm risk scale. Cities like Omaha, Nebraska, and Des Moines, Ames, and Dubuque in Iowa are included in the threat zone.
The primary concern from the storms developing on Tuesday night is expected to be hail.
Further severe weather is anticipated on Wednesday, extending from the Midwest southward to Alabama and Mississippi. Strong winds aloft could lead to storm rotation, but the risk will be mitigated by limited low-level moisture and atmospheric energy, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
The storm is expected to intensify in the mid-afternoon hours on Wednesday, with the potential for supercell thunderstorms developing and forming a fast-moving cluster from eastern Illinois to western Indiana.
Concerns include strong to severe wind gusts and large hail, with the possibility of a tornado. More than 12 million people in the region are at a level 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather.
The severe weather threat also extends to the Tennessee Valley and Deep South, although the risk is not as extreme as the recent deadly tornado outbreak.
The storm is projected to move into the central Plains on Tuesday, bringing heavy snow and strong winds, potentially leading to blizzard conditions. This storm system is expected to strengthen rapidly as it moves from the Rockies into the Midwest.
Snowfall rates could reach 1-2 inches per hour in heavier snow bands, although warm ground temperatures may initially limit snow accumulations.
Stay informed, stay safe, and be prepared for changing weather conditions in your area.
A brewing winter storm is expected to bring significant snow accumulations from Nebraska to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, creating dangerous travel conditions. The FOX Forecast Center is warning of gusty winds reaching 50-60 mph. The storm is forecasted to wind down by Wednesday afternoon. Winter weather alerts, including Blizzard Warnings, are in effect from Kansas to Minnesota. Additionally, severe weather threats are looming for the Plains and South this weekend, with the potential for powerful storms extending from Texas to Mississippi. Over 8 million people are under a level 2 out of 5 threat on Sunday in cities like Dallas, Arlington, Plano, and Garland in Texas, as well as Shreveport in Louisiana.
