Severe Thunderstorms With Hail, Damaging Winds a Midwest Threat Through Thursday

Brian Donegan
Published: August 10,2016
Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, large hail and locally heavy rain will take aim at the northern Plains and Upper Midwest into Thursday. An isolated tornado or two are also possible.
Tuesday evening, a supercell thunderstorm dumped 4 inch diameter hail in Carter County, Montana, according to storm chaser Brandon Copic.

Overnight, a squall line tracked across northern South Dakota and southern North Dakota with winds up to 92 mph clocked in Marshall County, South Dakota and an 83 mph gust measured west of Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Meanwhile, Chicago saw its first tornado in almost 10 years Tuesday, a landspout forming on a lake-breeze boundary near Midway Airport.

Current Radar with Watches and Warnings

(MORE: View National Interactive Radar Map | Difference Between a Watch and a Warning)
Below is our latest forecast thinking on the timing and magnitude of the severe threats this week.

Severe Weather Forecast

Wednesday

• Forecast: Scattered severe storms are expected from parts of the Dakotas into Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
• Threats: Damaging wind gusts and large hail are the main threats, although an isolated tornado can't be ruled out. This threat could continue overnight with flash flooding and damaging winds.
• Cities: Fargo | St. Cloud, Minnesota

Wednesday's Thunderstorm Forecast

Thursday

• Forecast: Scattered severe storms a bit farther to the south and east from the Upper Mississippi Valley to the central Plains, from northeast Colorado to Wisconsin.
• Threats: Damaging wind gusts and large hail are the main threats, although an isolated tornado can't be ruled out.
• Cities: Duluth, Minnesota | Minneapolis/St. Paul | Omaha | Des Moines

Thursday's Thunderstorm Forecast

Severe Weather Setup

A southward dip of the jet stream, or trough, is sending pulses of upper-level energy over a warm, humid air mass.
In response to this, severe thunderstorms are expected to flare up each afternoon, and organize into thunderstorm clusters overnight through Thursday night.
(MORE: Summer Thunderstorm Clusters Both Important and Dangerous)

Snapped An Awesome Shot? Share Your Photo!

If you crave pictures of severe weather, you've found your home here. Upload your photos or video (taking care to only take photos and videos from a safe location) to us and share your experience!
(PHOTO/VIDEO GALLERIES: Severe | Storms)

PHOTOS: Plains, Midwest Mid-June 2016 Severe Weather and Flooding