Damaging winds, large hail threaten eclipse travelers as severe thunderstorms eye southern Plains Saturday
The FOX Forecast Center says this is a classic April setup: Storms will pop each afternoon and evening, and the ingredients are in place for those storms to reach severe limits.
Severe weather threatening eclipse weekend plans
Our next severe storm threat is in line for Saturday across the southern Plains. Storms are forecast to fire up during the afternoon and evening, threatening the region with primarily large hail and damaging wind gusts upwards of 60 mph.
DALLAS – Spring's severe weather season is kicking into high gear, and multiple rounds of dangerous storms are expected in the days ahead. These storms will impact millions of travelers who hope to see a total solar eclipse on Monday.
FOX WEATHER'S TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 2024 COVERAGE
The FOX Forecast Center says this is a classic April setup: Storms will pop each afternoon and evening, and the ingredients are in place for those storms to reach severe criteria.
Severe thunderstorms will rumble Saturday
Parts of the central and southern Plains will likely experience thunderstorms with isolated large hail and severe gusts Saturday afternoon and evening.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the storm system will move through the central Rockies on Saturday morning before advancing into the central and southern Plains in the late afternoon and early evening.
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NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has issued a Level 2 out of 5 severe weather risk. The risk area includes larger population centers like Salina, Manhattan, and Emporia in Kansas, as well as Grand Island and Kearney in Nebraska.
A High Wind Watches and Warnings have been issued for parts of the central and western Plains with gusts up to 65 mph.
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Strong thunderstorms remain possible Sunday
Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible from late afternoon to mid-evening Sunday, covering parts of the Wabash and Mid-Mississippi Valleys as well as the Ark-La-Miss and Sabine Valleys.
According to the SPC, more than 5 million people have been placed under a Level 1 severe weather risk. The risk area encompasses populous cities such as Memphis, Clarksville and Jackson in Tennessee, Jonesboro, Arkansas, and Evansville, Indiana.
Severe weather may threaten Monday's total solar eclipse
Another round of severe thunderstorms is expected to occur across the southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley from late Monday afternoon to Tuesday night.
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Storms should develop across the Desert Southwest on Monday, moving eastward across the southwestern states on Tuesday and into the southern Plains on Wednesday, the FOX Forecast Center said.
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The untimely severe weather event may threaten North and East Texas skies and extend as far south as Eagle Pass – the first place in America to see a total solar eclipse.
The SPC has placed the entire eclipse's path of totality inside a severe weather risk for Monday.
Much of the path is at a Level 2 out of 5 severe weather risk, including popular eclipse hunting spots in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Waco, Austin and San Antonio. A level 1 threat expands south into Eagle Pass.
DALLAS AREA IN EARLY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WARNING FOR MONDAY'S TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
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FOX Weather keeps you updated on the forecast along the entire path of totality as Monday's big event approaches.