Severe storms target Midwest, Plains over Easter weekend
Adding to the concern, this volatile weather pattern will linger through the holiday weekend, threatening the Texas I-35 corridor with more severe storms on Saturday before shifting its focus northward to the central Plains on Sunday.
Over 100 million Americans under severe weather threat through Easter Sunday
An active stretch of severe weather is expected to continue into Easter weekend. At this time, hail and damaging winds appear to be the main threats, although Sunday may end up with a greater tornado threat. Over 100 million Americas are under this threat through Sunday.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The FOX Forecast Center is tracking the potential of severe weather over the holiday weekend, which could impact plans as well as travel.
Severe weather unleashed its fury across the central Plains on Thursday evening. Several storm chasers, including FOX Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic, captured video of a tornado forming and then rolling across the fields of Missouri Valley, Iowa. This comes amid a rare Tornado Emergency issued for Fremont, Montgomery and Page counties in Iowa, alongside reports of softball-sized hail.
Saturday will see the severe storm threat area shift only a bit. Scattered severe storms seem possible from central Texas into the Ohio Valley on Saturday afternoon and evening. This will also signal the beginning of heavy rain and possible flooding as storms repeatedly drench the same areas, the FOX Forecast Center said.
Across Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the forecast is a little more uncertain due to the presence of morning thunderstorms. These morning storms could "eat up" the available energy in the atmosphere and limit activity later in the day. Should the storms develop, damaging wind gusts of up to 60 mph and hail are the main concerns.
Due to the threat of heavy rainfall, Flood Watches stretch from the Lone Star State to the Land of Lincoln, which encompasses more than 10 million residents.
STORM TRACKER'S CAR BLASTED BY 80+ MPH WINDS AS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM TRIGGERS DUST STORM
STORM TRACKER'S CAR BLASTED BY 80+ MPH WINDS AS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM TRIGGERS DUST STORM
Easter Sunday will be a day to watch as ingredients may come together for a more formidable severe weather event, including more tornadoes.
A region that has been hit very hard by severe weather over the past month may be in the crosshairs: portions of the southern Plains, lower and mid-Mississippi Valley and mid-South region.
The greatest risk for damaging winds and tornadoes will be centered over Missouri and parts of western Illinois, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
A compact but intense upper-level disturbance is expected to move from the Texas Panhandle into Iowa by Sunday evening, triggering the threat for severe weather.