Severe weather conditions, including destructive storms, set to impact regions in the Midwest and Southeast over the weekend.
Heavy Rain, Thunderstorms, and Potential Tornadoes Sweep Across Multiple Regions
A powerful weather system is set to bring heavy rainfall, damaging winds, large hail, flash flooding risks, and possibly tornadoes to several regions across the United States this weekend.
Midwest and Central Plains
Severe thunderstorms may produce damaging winds gusting up to 95 mph, large hail, and tornadoes, particularly from Nebraska to Minnesota. Cities like Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Des Moines could be affected. The region faces numerous nocturnal thunderstorms through Monday with heavy rain possibly reaching up to nine inches in some areas, raising significant flash flood threats. Over 50,000 power outages have already been reported in Nebraska due to recent storms.
Southeast and Florida
Thunderstorms are forecast over northern Florida and southern Georgia, with localized flash flood risks, especially in coastal southeast Georgia. Temperatures are generally mild with highs in the 80s, but afternoon rain chances will rise into early next week due to increasing Atlantic moisture and a pseudo-wedge setup in the Southeast.
General Impacts
The severe weather system involves dynamic forcing, steep lapse rates, and elevated atmospheric instability, favoring the development of strong to severe thunderstorms with heavy precipitation. The thunderstorms could cause flash flooding, damage to trees, power lines, homes, and infrastructure, especially where rainfall exceeds 0.5–1 inch areas-wide and possibly more as suggested by various model forecasts.
Elsewhere in the U.S.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the high temperature reached 101 degrees on Friday, breaking the city's previous record of 98 degrees set in 2011. Storms are expected to roll through the central and northeastern parts of New Mexico on Sunday.
In central and South Florida, numerous showers and slow-moving storms could produce damaging winds and heavy downpours, according to the NWS. Though weekend temperatures in Arizona and other parts of the Southwest are expected to be less intense than in recent days, high temperatures approaching or exceeding 110 degrees are still possible.
The National Weather Service expects hourly rain amounts up to 2.5" and multi-day rain totals locally up to 9". The NWS in Jacksonville, Florida, warns of a localized flood risk through the weekend in the coastal southeast Georgia region. Evacuation orders have been lifted in California due to the Canyon Fire.
Residents in these regions are advised to stay updated, prepare for potential severe weather impacts, and follow any local safety instructions.
The environmental-science implications of this weather system are significant, as it poses flash flood risks and potential tornadoes across the Midwest and Central Plains, particularly in cities like Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Des Moines. In the Southeast and Florida, thunderstorms may lead to localized flash flood risks, especially in coastal southeast Georgia.
