By Brian Lada, Meteorologist
September 9,2014; 9:18PM,EDT
Severe thunderstorms, many packing strong winds, will threaten lives and property in a heavily-populated portion of the central Plains and Midwest. There is also a risk of large hail, frequent lightning strikes, flash flooding and a few tornadoes.
Spotty heavy thunderstorms centered on Illinois Tuesday morning were not associated with the main threat of severe weather, but rather a surge of warmer, more humid air arriving.
From Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday, severe storms will push through a swath of the nation, home to approximately 60 million people. The storms have the potential to affect multiple major metropolitan areas such as Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas City, Missouri; Des Moines, Iowa; St. Louis; Indianapolis; Detroit; and Toledo, Ohio.
The severe weather outbreak began to take shape on Tuesday afternoon as thunderstorms erupted over portions of Nebraska and Iowa.
These storms will then track eastward through Tuesday night and into Wednesday.
There is a risk of downed trees, power outages, flooding, property damage and significant travel disruptions from the storms Tuesday through Wednesday. People are urged to seek shelter indoors as storms approach. If on the road, do not drive through flooded areas.
Storms of this nature can be particularly dangerous at night since it is more difficult to see their impact at the time it is occurring. Avoid walking or stopping under tall trees if storms are in your area.
AccuWeather.com MinuteCast™ has the minute-by-minute forecast for your exact location, detailing when thunderstorms will hit. Type your city name, select MinuteCast™, and input your street address. On mobile, you can also use your GPS location.
According to AccuWeather Severe Weather Meteorologists Eddie Walker, "The greatest threat for tornadoes is late Tuesday afternoon and evening, from eastern Nebraska into western and central Iowa."
The primary severe weather threat on Wednesday will be strong wind gusts, hail, lightning strikes and flash flooding.
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On Thursday, the storms will push into the East, where some communities from New York City to Washington, D.C., could be hit with disruptive downpours and locally strong winds.
If you live in an area that is in the path of the severe thunderstorms, now is the time to prepare.
Making sure that your cell phone is charged, stocking up on extra batteries for flashlights and buying gasoline for a generator are a few ways to prepare for a power outage.
In addition to the threat of severe weather, a soaking rainfall will also spread over the Upper Midwest.
Several inches of rain are forecast to fall from Iowa and across northern Michigan through Wednesday, enough to cause travel delays and flash flooding.
Some rivers across this area are already running above normal due to rain that has fallen over the past few weeks, making them more susceptible to flooding.
Those closest to these rivers may be forced to take action as waters rise past flood stage due to the additional rain.
You can check on the latest flood watches and warnings at AccuWeather's Severe Weather Center.
Dry, cool weather is expected to replace the stormy weather for the end of the week as chilly air expands southward from Canada.
This will make residents of the Plains and Midwest reach for their jeans and sweatshirts as high temperatures are limited to the 50s followed by lows in the 30s and 40s.
AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski contributed content to this story.
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