Storm System Threatens Central and Southern US With Hail and Damaging Winds

As many as 22 states face the risk for severe thunderstorms, hail and damaging wind gusts over the next several days, meteorologists say.

A front over the Central/Southern Rockies is expected to move northeastward, producing showers and thunderstorms over parts of the Northern/Central Plains, the Southern High Plains, the Upper Mississippi Valley, and the Great Lakes beginning Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

Showers and thunderstorms will continue through Saturday over the Upper Mississippi Valley/Upper Great Lakes to the Middle Mississippi Valley and the Central/Southern Plains.

AccuWeather forecasts a moderate risk of severe storms on Saturday, with isolated tornadoes possible in Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee. Localized damaging wind gusts of 60-70 mph are possible across the area, including the St. Louis, Memphis and Little Rock metros, according to AccuWeather.

Severe weather usually peaks in the central and southern U.S. in March, April and May, but a second severe weather season can occur in the fall as jet stream disturbances become strengthened by increasing temperature variations across the country, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.

“As the jet stream dips farther south, the remaining late-summer warmth clashes with incoming chillier air from the north,” Porter said.

Damaging wind gusts and straight-line winds are often the most widespread concern during the second severe weather season, AccuWeather’s lead long-range expert Paul Pastelok said.

“October could be the biggest contrast setup, temperature-wise, between the South and the northern Plains states this fall,” Pastelok said. “We may see some tornadoes late in the season in the Midwest and the Ohio Valley. Damaging wind gusts and straight-line winds are often the most widespread concern during the second severe weather season.”