Lightning Threatens to Spark Wildfires as Storms Target the Plains

Severe storms will continue to pester parts of the Plains on Wednesday before shifting farther to the east for the back half of the work week. Here is a breakdown of when and where you should expect the stormy conditions in the coming days.

Trio of Storm Pockets on Deck for Wednesday

A front moving slowly to the east this week will be the impetus for gusty thunderstorms expected to roar from the Plains and into the southeastern corner of the country on Wednesday. Residents under the umbrella of storms should prepare for high winds, hail, and flash flooding. While this is not expected to be a major tornado producer, you cannot rule out the threat of an isolated twister or two.

Tuesday's storms ignited across a large swath of the High Plains, with this threat predicted to continue on Wednesday. One pocket of heavy storms is expected in eastern Colorado and down into New Mexico beginning Wednesday afternoon and persisting into the evening hours. Cities in the line of fire include Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo. The storm cells could creep as far south and east as the northwestern corner of Texas, the Oklahoma Panhandle, western Kansas, and the southwestern fringe of Nebraska.

Forecasters are warning that the chance of dry thunderstorms will increase the risk of new wildfire ignition and spread. The dry conditions as of late over the Plains states will make the landscape ripe for wildfire activity, especially in areas where little rain falls and the winds whip up.

While storms will continue to rumble over the Plains, the greatest concentration of severe impacts will shift into the Midwest on Wednesday. Major metro areas, including Chicago and Indianapolis, will want to be ready for storms to disrupt outdoor activities in the afternoon and evening hours. More moisture associated with these storms will lay the groundwork for potential flooding concerns.

Lastly, a third area of severe weather is forecast on Wednesday for the lower portion of the Mississippi Valley. Storms packing damaging winds and heavy rain are expected to set up in an area from Arkansas and northern Louisiana to the east into central and northern Mississippi and southwestern Tennessee.

Storms Move Farther East on Thursday

The eastward trajectory of the line of storms will continue on Thursday, bringing some of the impacts to the populated Interstate 95 corridor. Most of this action will be the garden-variety summer storms you expect this time of the year; however, a few potent cells could usher in damaging winds and localized flash flooding.

The largest metro areas on the East Coast will be at risk of widespread travel disruptions as the day progresses on Thursday. This includes New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

Looking ahead to Friday, locally severe thunderstorms will bring the work week to a close along the central and southern portions of the Atlantic Seaboard. This will translate to the possibility of periodic downpours and gusty conditions for Washington, D.C., Richmond, and Charlotte. Stay tuned as we continue to monitor the progress of these storms in the coming days.

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