As the holiday weekend unfolds across the Northern Plains, an atmospheric battlefield is taking shape from Montana through to the Dakotas and into the Upper Mississippi Valley. Storms will continue through Tuesday.
As the holiday weekend unfolds, a clash between warm, unstable air and a slow-moving weather system will bring thunderstorms from Montana through the Dakotas and into the Upper Mississippi Valley.
The threat begins Sunday across Montana and the High Plains, where storms are expected to develop near the higher terrain during the afternoon.
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Dry air near the ground could produce powerful downburst winds exceeding 65 to 70 mph, along with isolated large hail.
Storms will move quickly, limiting the overall flooding threat, but heavy rain could still cause flash flooding in areas scarred by recent wildfires.
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A broad Level 1 out of 5 severe storm threat covers much of the Northern Tier Sunday and continues into Monday as the front slowly shifts east.
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By Labor Day, the storm system will move into the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Increasing moisture and strong winds several thousand feet above the ground could help storms organize into larger clusters, bringing a greater threat for heavy rain and damaging winds.
The heaviest rainfall is expected in Montana, where 2 to 3 inches could fall. Parts of the Dakotas could receive up to 2 inches, with locally higher amounts possible where storms repeatedly move over the same areas.
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Millions of people in the Southeast are also seeing severe weather as storms shift south amid a multiday threat that will last through the day Sunday.
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The relentless severe weather threat has been ongoing since early last week, leaving thousands without power and causing dangerous flash flooding in Ohio and parts of the Midwest and Northeast.
A few showers could develop across the interior Northeast on Labor Day, but most of the region should enjoy a mainly dry holiday.
Stay with FOX Weather for the latest forecast.
