Severe Thunderstorm Watches Issued As Severe Weather Threat Returns Easter Sunday and Later This Week (FORECAST)

Quincy Vagell
Published: March 27,2016
The threat for strong to severe thunderstorms returns for Easter Sunday as a cold front sweeps across the country. Then, a potentially more significant severe weather event may take shape across the central and southeastern United States by midweek.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has issued the following severe weather watches:

• A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 12 a.m. EDT for northeastern Indiana, southeastern Michigan and northwestern Ohio. The watch area includes Fort Wayne and Toldeo.
• A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 10 p.m. CDT for southeastern Illinois, central and southern Indiana and northern and western Kentucky. The watch area includes Indianapolis, Louisville and Paducah.

It's been an active 2016 for severe weather, so far, and the last thing storm-weary folks in the Lower Mississippi Valley want to see is more severe thunderstorms or flooding rainfall.
(MORE: Historic March Flooding in the South)

Current Radar with Watches and Warnings

Upcoming storm systems on Sunday and then around the Tuesday to Thursday time-frame are worth watching.
Below is a look at the current expectation for the severe weather threats ahead.

Severe Weather Forecast

Into Sunday Night

• A cold front moves east from the Mississippi Valley toward the Appalachians.
• Multiple rounds of thunderstorms are expected from the Gulf Coast, northward to the Ohio Valley.
• A few severe thunderstorms are possible across the Lower to Middle Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley, particularly from northern Mississippi to central Indiana and central Ohio.
• Damaging winds appear to be the greatest threat, but large hail will also be possible.
• Low level wind shear is not ideal for tornadoes, but a tornado cannot be ruled out.
• Flash flooding will be the greatest concern with thunderstoms near the Gulf Coast.
• Cities: Cincinnati | Indianapolis | Paducah | Nashville, Tennessee

Sunday Night's Thunderstorm Forecast

Monday

• The cold front will continue pushing east toward the East Coast, bringing rain into the Northeast.
• A few thunderstorms will develop across the Florida peninsula and an isolated strong to severe thunderstorms is possible.

Tuesday

• A new storm system begins to take shape over the Rockies.
• Organized severe weather seems unlikely, but thunderstorms could fire along a dryline in the Plains from Nebraska to Texas.
• Any storms that can initiate would pose a hail risk.

A classic severe weather setup may develop later next week.

Wednesday-Thursday

• Low pressure organizes and pivots from the Plains toward the Upper Midwest.
• A classic severe weather setup may develop during this time-frame.
• Wednesday's threat is from the southern Plains into the Middle Mississippi Valley.
• On Thursday, severe weather may be possible from the Gulf Coast, northward to the Ohio Valley.
• Uncertainty remains with details on timing and placement of any substantial severe weather threat midweek. Nonetheless, damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes may be possible.
• In addition, multiple clusters of thunderstorms in the Lower Mississippi Valley may pose a risk of flash flooding, falling on ground still saturated (or flooded) from the early-March flood event.

Wednesday's Thunderstorm Forecast

(FORECAST: 7-Day Rain/Snow Maps)
Continue to check back for more updates in the coming days.

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MORE: Early March 2016 Flooding, Severe Weather (PHOTOS)