Forecast: 50 Million Americans to be Affected by Widespread Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
An Easter holiday storm system that brought Flash Flood Warnings to Los Angeles and heavy rain and mountain snow to much of the rest of California is setting its eyes on the nation’s heartland to begin the first week of April as it develops an area of low pressure in the central Plains on Monday.
Forecast models show the first widespread severe weather event will be centered over the middle of the U.S. on Monday before sliding eastward and impacting areas such as the Tennessee and Ohio valleys on Tuesday. Thunderstorms could contain damaging wind gusts, frequent lightning and tornadoes.
Nearly 50 million Americans are included in the severe weather risk zone on Monday. This comes as an influx of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and a favorable atmosphere are expected to contribute to the widespread severe threat through the evening hours for parts of the Southern Plains northeastward into the mid-Mississippi Valley. All hazards, including large hail, wind damage, and tornadoes will be possible. The severe threat is expected to impact parts of the Ohio Valley Monday night.
Communities such as Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Norman in Oklahoma, as well as Springfield and Columbia in Missouri, are facing a Level 3 out of 5 threat for severe weather, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center said. With the more dominant supercells in central and eastern Oklahoma, there is a possibility of hailstones exceeding 2 inches in diameter, the SPC said. The severe weather threat is expected to continue well after sunset Monday, meaning that some tornadoes could be nocturnal. Nighttime tornadoes are more than twice as likely to result in fatalities than those that happen during the day.
On the northern side of the storm system, snow and freezing rain are potential threats from the north-central Plains on Sunday, stretching into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region Monday, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Tuesday’s heightened threat zone stretches from Ohio into northern Mississippi and Alabama. The zone includes communities such as Nashville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky. Like Monday, the FOX Forecast Center has warned that all modes of severe weather will be possible. The geographic scope should be reduced compared to Monday’s threat zone.
April typically sees an increase in severe weather outbreaks as seasonal air masses clash over the eastern half of the country. In fact, the month is usually the second busiest for tornadoes, only outdone by May. More active severe weather events in April typically happen when the El Niño-Southern Oscillation is in a La Niña phase, which is the opposite of the El Niño the world is currently in.
As we head into April, it is important to stay informed and prepared for severe weather. The storm system moving across the country is expected to bring widespread thunderstorms and tornadoes, affecting millions of Americans. The risk zone includes parts of the Southern Plains, Ohio Valley, and Mississippi Valley on Monday, with the threat shifting to areas like Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky on Tuesday. All modes of severe weather, including damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes, are possible.
Communities in Oklahoma and Missouri are facing a Level 3 out of 5 threat for severe weather, with the potential for hailstones exceeding 2 inches in diameter. The severe weather threat is expected to continue into the night, increasing the risk of nocturnal tornadoes. On the northern side of the storm system, snow and freezing rain are potential threats.
Tuesday’s threat zone is expected to be slightly reduced compared to Monday’s, but all modes of severe weather will still be possible. It is crucial to stay updated with weather alerts and have a reliable source of information like the FOX Weather app.
Looking beyond Tuesday, predictability decreases, making it difficult to categorize any specific community as being in a heightened threat. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue until the frontal boundary reaches the East Coast by Thursday.
April is known for an increase in severe weather outbreaks, and it is the second busiest month for tornadoes after May. This is usually the case when the El Niño-Southern Oscillation is in a La Niña phase. While April can bring volatile weather, it is essential to stay prepared and informed to ensure safety during severe weather events.
