Locally Severe Storms to Fire From Memphis to Detroit at Midweek

By Brett Rathbun, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

August 19,2015; 11:40PM,EDT

 

 

After strong thunderstorms developed from Amarillo, Texas, to Chicago on Tuesday, storms will shift eastward into the upper Great Lakes and lower Mississippi Valley into Wednesday night.
A powerful storm system, more typical of autumn, will shift eastward and will prompt another round of strong to locally severe thunderstorms.

Strong Storms in the Central U.S.

"A very warm and humid air mass will provide plenty of fuel for heavy thunderstorms from Michigan to Arkansas," AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis said.

This same storm system was responsible for heavy rain across the Upper Midwest on Tuesday as some areas received between 3 and 7 inches of rain.
This storm system produced strong wind gusts, hail and even a tornado across the Plains and Upper Midwest on Tuesday, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde.
This storm also brought down a shot of fall-like air as new record low minimum and maximum temperatures were reached across portions of the Central states Tuesday into Wednesday.
Cities at risk for severe thunderstorms into Wednesday night include Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan; Toledo and Cincinnati, Ohio; Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Indiana; Louisville and Paducah Kentucky; Carbondale, Illinois; Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee; and Little Rock and Jonesboro, Arkansas.
The main threats with these storms will be damaging winds and torrential downpours. Some small hail is also possible with these storms.
A brief tornado cannot be ruled out with the greatest chance for one developing across Michigan.
Travel will become dangerous at times along interstates 40, 55, 64, 69, 70, 80, 90, and 94.
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"For some, the timing will coincide with the end of the school day and after-school activities," AccuWeather Meteorologist Michael Doll said.
"Coaches and administrators should monitor weather conditions closely and be prepared to move students to an indoor shelter if thunderstorms approach," he added.
"Small streams and poor drainage areas will quickly fill with water from these heavy thunderstorms," Travis added.
Never drive over a flooded roadway. Only a small amount of rain can wash away your vehicle. Turn around, don't drown.
"Street flooding may also occur when a large amount of rain falls within a short period of time," Travis said.
As storms caused delays during the MLB games in St. Louis and Chicago on Tuesday night, delays could be found in Cincinnati on Wednesday night.
Know when storms will hit by using ​AccuWeather Minutecast®. It has a minute-by-minute forecast for your exact location. Type your city name, select Minutecast® and input your street address. Mobile users can also use their GPS location.
Strong winds in the absence of severe thunderstorms will blast the area around the western Great Lakes into Wednesday night.
A shot of cool fall-like air will push from the northern Plains and upper Great Lakes to the Tennessee Valley on Thursday. Daytime high temperatures will only be in the 60s across the upper Great Lakes to the 70s across the rest of the region.
Temperatures will run between 10 and 15 degrees below average for the middle of August.
Drenching storms will spread across the East Coast on Thursday.