NOTE: This article includes information and text from the National Weather Service.
(WGHP) – For the second time in four days, another round of severe storms and tornadoes is expected to impact millions of people in the Central United States.
Some of the areas facing the severe weather threat on Tuesday include those that were just struck with a multi-state tornado outbreak on Friday, March 31.
Weather pattern responsible for the severe weather
Tuesday’s severe weather will be associated with the same storm system that brought an early April blizzard across parts of the northern Plains and Upper Midwest on Monday.
A nearly identical weather pattern to the one that brought deadly tornadoes to the central United States on Friday will be responsible for Tuesday’s severe thunderstorms. The pattern includes a strong upper-level jet stream that will move over the Plains and Mississippi Valley, increasing wind shear.
Wind shear is the change in wind speed and direction with height and is a main ingredient for tornadoes.
The upper-level disturbance will overlap with moisture streaming in from the Gulf of Mexico, providing more fuel for severe weather.
Severe weather threat in central U.S. Tuesday
Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop Tuesday afternoon into the overnight hours across the Central Plains.
The highest threat of severe weather will likely be focused over two main areas: portions of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois as well as portions of Oklahoma, Arkansas and northeast Texas.
The severe storms will pose a risk of tornadoes, large hail and damaging wind gusts. A few tornadoes could be EF2 or stronger on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Not only could a few tornadoes be strong and long-tracked but they could occur at night when many people will be asleep.
Some of the cities included in the high-end severe weather threat include Des Moines and Cedar Rapids in Iowa, Little Rock in Arkansas and Rockford and Peoria in Illinois.
Severe weather threat continues on Wednesday
As the strong storm system continues to track eastward across the United States, another round of severe weather is possible Wednesday in the eastern Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and western New York.
A low-end severe weather threat extends south through Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana and reaches as far eastward as northwestern Virginia.
Damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes will be the main threat in those regions. Some stronger tornadoes cannot be ruled out, especially in portions of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and western portions of New York and Pennsylvania.
Some cities in Wednesday’s severe storm risk include Detroit, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Columbus in Ohio. Buffalo, New York is also among the cities that will likely see severe storms.
What impacts could the Triad see from the strong storm system?
While North Carolina is not yet included in a threat for severe weather, the same system that will be tracking across the United States this week will reach the Tar Heel State by Thursday morning.
On Thursday morning, general thunderstorms are possible in western North Carolina as the system approaches. Portions of the Triad will also have the possibility to see storms Thursday, however they are not expected to be severe at this time.
Thursday’s rain and storm chance will be associated with a slow-moving cold front. Our best chance for showers and storms will be ahead of the front during the day Thursday.
While severe weather is not expected in the Triad, don’t be surprised if you hear thunder as the front sparks thunderstorms on Thursday.
The front should be through our area by Thursday night, but, once the front is through, lingering showers may still be possible in some areas.
Once the front is through the Triad, temperatures will begin to drop with highs in the 60s on Friday and afternoon temperatures in the 50s on Saturday.
An unsettled weather pattern looks possible for Easter weekend with lingering rain chances possible Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Due to an unsettled weather pattern for the second half of our week, we’ll likely see a few rounds of rainfall into Easter weekend. Rainfall totals through Saturday night look to be between 1 to 2 inches.
