Severe Thunderstorms with Damaging Winds, Large Hail Target Plains Into Weekend

July 15,2016
Severe thunderstorms will fire up in parts of the Plains into Friday, bringing another risk for damaging winds and large hail, continuing what has been a very busy week of severe weather.
That severe threat will migrate into the northern Plains Saturday, then Upper Midwest Sunday.
Some severe thunderstorms are also expected in parts of the South.
Below are the latest severe weather forecast details.

Current Radar with Watches and Warnings

(MORE: National Interactive Radar Map | Differences Between a Watch and a Warning)

Severe Weather Forecast

Friday

• Forecast: Scattered severe storms are expected in the central Plains from southern and western Nebraska to Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle. A few severe storms are possible, as well, from the Mid-South into the Tennessee Valley and Carolinas. 
• Threats: Damaging winds and large hail.
• Cities: Oklahoma City | Dodge City, Kansas

Friday's Thunderstorm Forecast

Saturday

• Forecast: Severe thunderstorms are expected to be most numerous in parts of the northern and central Plains in the afternoon and night. A few severe storms are possible, as well, in the South from Arkansas and Louisiana to the Carolinas. 
• Threats: Damaging winds, primarily, along with locally heavy rain. Large hail and a tornado or two are possible in the northern Plains.
• Cities: Pierre, South Dakota | Omaha, Nebraska | Mpls/St. Paul

Saturday's Thunderstorm Forecast

Sunday

• Forecast: Scattered severe storms are possible in parts of the Upper Midwest and western Great Lakes states. A few severe storms are also possible in the northern and central High Plains.
• Threats: Damaging winds and large hail.
• Cities: Chicago | Milwaukee | Des Moines

Sunday's Thunderstorm Forecast

Storm Reports Since Last Sunday

Thursday
Eastern Oklahoma had a severe line of storms roll through on Thursday afternoon. Wind gusts were recorded up to 80 mph in Muskogee and 75 mph in the Tulsa area. Wichita, Kansas, also saw a wind gust to 80 mph, only the eighth time on record since 1970 a gust that strong has been clocked, there.

Above: Wind damage in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Thursday.Large hail was seen in parts of southeastern Colorado. Peterson Air Force Base was struck with hen-egg-sized hail and neighboring areas saw hail ranging from 1.50 to 2 inches in diameter.
Strong storms also moved through New England and New Jersey.
For more on Thursday's severe weather reports, click here to read our impacts article.
Wednesday
A derecho roared from northwest Kansas early Wednesday to Ohio late Wednesday night, with a swath of damaging winds stretching nearly 950 miles.
(MORE: Summer Derechoes Have a Favored Corridor)
The St. Louis area took the brunt of the severe weather Wednesday, as a line of strong thunderstorms knocked down trees and power lines and caused some structural damage. More than 200,000 people were left without power.
One person suffered minor injuries in Maryland Heights, Missouri, due to gusty winds blowing a folding table into his or her head.
For more on Wednesday's severe weather reports, click here to read our impacts article.
Monday
Serious flash flooding occurred in Minnesota Monday evening, with as much as 10 to 12 inches of rain falling in a matter of hours in central and eastern portions of the state.
A tornado caused damage to homes in Litchfield, Minnesota, early Monday evening.
For more on Monday's storm reports, click here to read our impacts article.
Sunday
Sunday evening, a swarm of thunderstorms with damaging hail, in addition to damaging winds, tore across the northern Plains from far eastern Montana to northern Minnesota.
Damage to siding, windows, and skylights was reported in the town of Killdeer, North Dakota, about 100 miles west-northwest of Bismarck, thanks to hail larger than baseballs, driven by high winds.

In Baker, Montana, wind gusts as high as 65 mph and hail up to 1.75 inches in diamater knocked down trees and broke windows on homes.
Winds gusted as high as 70 mph in Fairfield, North Dakota, and that combined with 1.75 inch hail broke both car and home windows.

A tornado was spotted by storm chasers near Dillon, Montana, Sunday afternoon. No damage was reported as a result of this. According to NOAA/NCEI, this was the first reported tornado in Beaverhead County, Montana, since July 19, 1997.

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MORE: Plains, Midwest Severe Weather and Flooding