Severe storms, flash flooding to wallop central US through Friday

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

May 25,2016; 9:45PM,EDT

 

 

The threat for severe weather, including tornadoes and flash flooding, will expand across the central United States through the end of the week.
Systems will continue to traverse across the Plains and feed off the warmth and humidity in place, creating a favorable environment for severe thunderstorms to erupt.
Following several days of severe weather across the Plains, the threat for locally damaging thunderstorms will shift northeastward into Wednesday evening.
While the storms into Wednesday evening will not be as intense as those on Monday and Tuesday, some communities can be hit with damaging winds, large hail and flooding downpours from central Texas to eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

While the storms will diminish in intensity upon approaching the Great Lakes during Wednesday evening, they can still pack a punch at the local level.
A few communities from Arkansas and Missouri to Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota can be hit with a heavy, gusty thunderstorm.
The next round of severe weather will erupt over the Plains later in the week.
"A new storm will develop across the Plains on Thursday and lead to another outbreak of severe weather," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun.
This outbreak of severe thunderstorms could be more intense and widespread compared to previous days this week.
Severe storms are expected to erupt from south-central Texas northward into Nebraska and Iowa late on Thursday afternoon.
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The severe threat zone will shift slightly eastward on Friday, encompassing the Arklatex and middle and lower Mississippi Valley.
AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions Lead Meteorologist Phil Warren is concerned that storms will produce large hail and damaging wind gusts to 70 mph as well as some tornadoes.
"The risk of tornadoes will be present with some of the strongest storms, primarily across portions of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska [late Thursday]," Warren explained.
Rathbun warned that hail could exceed 3 inches in diameter, posing a hazard to cars, structures and budding crops.
Area residents should remain aware of and heed any weather warnings. Thunderstorms can quickly erupt and become dangerous during a seemingly quiet, sunny day.

Storms can continue into the overnight hours, creating an increased danger.
Adding an additional hazard to the region will be the ongoing threat of flash flooding.
"Flash flooding will also be a major concern in locations that have already received heavy rainfall from thunderstorms earlier this week," Rathbun stated.
Locations where individual storms merge into a larger storm complex will also be at risk for flash flooding.
The threat for daily showers and thunderstorms, some turning severe, could continue right through Memorial Day weekend.