SEVERE WEEKEND: FOX Weather Meteorologist Steve Bender breaks down the looming severe storm threat for the Southern portions of the U.S., as damaging hail, winds, and the potential for tornadoes are possible. Stay tuned to FOX Weather all weekend as we track these developing storms.
Millions of Americans are expected to be under a multi-day severe storm threat across the South and Central U.S. through the weekend, with the potential for large hail, damaging winds and the potential for dangerous tornadoes.
Starting on Saturday, an upper-level low is expected to hover over southern Canada, continuing to anchor a large-scale dip in the jet stream across the Western and Central U.S. More than 20 million across 7 states could be affected.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, an area of lower pressure is expected to move eastward out of the southern Rockies, then into a moist unstable environment by the afternoon hours on Saturday.
As this low pressure continues across the Texas Panhandle, a dryline will extend south into the central and western parts of the state.
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On top of this, forecasters are predicting a warm front to push northward throughout the day across Oklahoma and into Arkansas and Louisiana.
As a result, a level 3/5 severe storm threat is active across central and eastern Oklahoma, along with a level 2/5 threat extending from Kansas to North Louisiana to start the weekend.
Popular locations in Kansas, such as Wichita and Hays, are areas to monitor as storms strengthen.
These storms could develop into supercells later in the night, posing a risk of very large hail and damaging winds.
Hail fell across Union, Missouri Thursday morning as severe storms shift east through the day. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center says strong EF-2+ tornadoes are possible Thursday afternoon and evening across southern portions of Illinois and Indiana.
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, are areas that could experience significant damage.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the greatest risk for potential tornadoes of an EF-2 or greater will range from Oklahoma City to Southeast Oklahoma.
As the severe weather threat continues overnight and into Sunday, another area of low pressure is expected to move out of the Rockies and back into the Plains.
This comes as a strong southwesterly flow will pull moisture into portions of the central and southern plains.
Sunday evening, this developing low-pressure system will continue to strengthen and move over central Kansas.
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As the system intensifies, moist air and increased instability will be directed towards a warm front extending into Missouri and Arkansas.
A level 3/5 severe storm threat is active from Central Kansas to Western Missouri for Sunday, with a broader level 2/5 severe threat extending from Southern Nebraska to Northern Texas.
As the severe storm threat develops, isolated to scattered supercells could develop along the dryline extending into South Texas by Sunday afternoon.
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By the evening and into the overnight, storm development may expand in coverage, with an increasing potential for strong tornadoes if this persists, bringing the threat of large hail and damaging winds.
Stay tuned to FOX Weather all weekend as we continue tracking the development of these severe storms.
