Severe thunderstorms are expected to hit parts of the Upper Midwest this Saturday, bringing with them dangerous threats such as baseball-sized hail. A low-pressure system will develop in the northern Rockies and High Plains, drawing moisture from the south into the Dakotas and creating a humid atmosphere. Strong thunderstorms were already occurring in the Dakotas early Saturday morning, with another round expected in the afternoon and evening due to high levels of storm energy generated by daytime heating. Large hail, damaging wind gusts of 60–80 mph, and a few tornadoes are possible, with a Level 2 risk of severe weather issued by NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center for Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and western Wisconsin. Flash flooding is also a concern, but the severe threat is expected to diminish by Sunday. In the Northeast and along the I-95 corridor, there may be thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts and heavy rain on Saturday evening. NOAA’s SPC has identified Level 2 and Level 1 threats of severe weather for different parts of Pennsylvania, New York, and major cities along the East Coast.
