Watches Issued: Threat of Severe Thunderstorms From the Great Lakes to Texas into Monday Night

Linda Lam
Published: April 10,2017
Severe thunderstorms have returned to parts of the Midwest and South for the start of this week ahead of a frontal system pushing through the central states. Damaging winds and large hail are the main threats from any storms that turn severe, though the chance of a tornado cannot be ruled out.
Flash flooding will also be a major concern through early Tuesday morning in Texas where flash flood watches are posted.
(MORE: Tornado Central)
Fortunately, this severe event won't be an outbreak, such as what happened in parts of the South last week.
(MORE: Early April Severe Weather Outbreak Recap)
NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has issued the following severe weather watches:

• A severe thunderstorm watch valid until 10 p.m. CDT (11 p.m. EDT) for portions of central Illinois, northwest Indiana and southwest Lower Michigan. This watch area includes Champaign, Illinois, and Grand Rapids, Michigan.
• A severe thunderstorm watch valid until 11 p.m. CDT for parts of southwest Arkansas, far northwest Louisiana, far southeast Oklahoma and central and northeast Texas. This watch area includes Austin, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana.

Current Radar with Watches, Warnings

Current Radar with Watches, Warnings

Pea-size hail was reported just southwest of Chicago's Midway Airport Monday afternoon, along with wind gusts up to 45 mph, as a severe thunderstorm pushed through the Windy City.
Hail damage was reported near Bolingbrook, Illinois, southwest of Chicago, including shredded window screens and damage to siding on homes. Hail up to the size of tennis balls was reported in Canton, Illinois.
Farther south, a school bus was stranded in northeast Texas between Greenville and Celeste, due to flooding on Highway 69.
(MORE: April's Tornadic, Dangerous Reputation)

Forecast Details

Into Monday Night

• The cold front will continue sliding east, stretching from the Great Lakes into Texas. This will result in the chance for severe thunderstorms in two areas.
• One area will be from central Texas to the Ark-La-Tex Region, while the other area will be located from Illinois to Indiana, Lower Michigan and northwestern Ohio.
• The primary threats will be damaging wind gusts, large hail and an isolated tornado or two.
• FORECAST: Dallas | Chicago | Indianapolis | Detroit

Monday Night's Thunderstorm Forecast

A few isolated severe thunderstorms may push into the interior Northeast and Ohio Valley on Tuesday, with the risk of isolated damaging wind gusts and hail. Parts of eastern and southern Texas into western Louisiana could also see a few strong to severe storms, along with locally heavy rainfall.

Tuesday's Thunderstorm Forecast

(MAPS: Weekly Planner)
The cold front is expected to stall over Texas into Tuesday. Combined with abundant moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, this could result in local flash flooding.

Rainfall Forecast

Much of central and northeastern Texas is currently expected to receive 1 to 3 inches of rainfall through Tuesday, with some isolated spots possibly receiving up to 5 inches. The greatest concern for flooding will occur now into Tuesday morning.
By Wednesday, a new storm system approaches the central and southern Plains, setting the stage for another round of scattered severe thunderstorms in those regions. Again, this is not expected to be an outbreak by any means.
Wednesday

• A cold front will sweep across the Rockies and into the central and southern Plains, resulting in the chance for scattered severe storms from southern Nebraska into Kansas, the Oklahoma panhandle, west Texas and eastern New Mexico.
• The position of the dryline will also be a key factor in determining where thunderstorms may form.
• Large hail and damaging wind gusts are the main threats, but an isolated tornado can't be ruled out.
• CITIES: Amarillo, Texas | Roswell, New Mexico | Dodge City, Kansas

Wednesday's Thunderstorm Forecast

Severe Weather Setup

This latest round of storms is courtesy of a powerful low-pressure system that brought heavy mountain snow and rain to the West last week. This area of low pressure is expected to push into the Great Lakes by Tuesday.
Warmer temperatures, along with a modest increase in moisture, ahead of this system will help to set the stage for the risk of severe thunderstorms.

Setup for severe storms on Tuesday.

The cold front associated with this system will help to initiate thunderstorm development into Tuesday.

Storm Reports Since Sunday

Sunday

Severe weather associated with this weather system first fired up in the Plains on Sunday.
An 80-mph wind gust was reported in Palisade, Nebraska, late Sunday afternoon, and there were various hail reports from 1.00 to 1.75 inches in diameter in south-central portions of that state Sunday evening. Golf ball-size hail broke a car's windshield near Blue Hill, Nebraska.
Hail up to the size of tennis balls was reported near Stacyville, Iowa, late Sunday night.

MORE: Severe Weather Outbreak Early April (PHOTOS)

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.