‘Severe Storms Threaten Millions’ — Large Hail, Damaging 60 MPH Winds Expected as Tornado Risk Looms

Meteorologists are warning that a dangerous period of severe weather conditions is expected to impact millions of Americans starting this weekend. Thunderstorms bringing large hail and damaging winds that could exceed 60 mph are the main concern, but warnings of possible tornadoes and flash flooding are also being issued.

Severe Storms Set to Threaten Millions

Fox Weather has reported on several rounds of storms that will start on Saturday afternoon and last into Tuesday. The outlet has warned that "severe storms threaten millions" as the storm systems will arrive across "the Southern Plains from South Texas to southern Kansas."

On Saturday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a level 2 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms that could impact North Texas to the Texas Panhandle.

After that initial round dissipates, worse conditions will soon follow and last through Tuesday, according to the outlet. Supercell systems that are expected to include additional thunderstorms, "damaging winds," and be capable of producing "large hail" have been forecasted. The outlet is also warning that a few tornadoes are possible on Sunday afternoon. While "damaging winds" is a nebulous term, the NOAA defines it as meaning gusts that exceed 50-60 mph.

Fox Weather's Forecast Center of experts also notes that, with several rounds of thunderstorms following a period of drought, an additional threat of flash flooding is possible. "With ongoing drought conditions in parts of Texas and Oklahoma, several days of heavy rain could also lead to flash flooding." However, that appears to be unlikely to happen as the outlet deems the threat of flash flooding arriving at only a level one out of a possible four.

Fox News' report details that the storms are expected to spread on Monday and Tuesday, reaching into the Southern Plains and parts of the Upper Midwest. According to another report from a different outlet, that still may not mark the end of the things.

The Weather Channel has reported that "severe storms" will possibly continue into Wednesday across eastern Texas, the Mississippi Valley, and the Great Lakes area. Beyond even that, the outlet has warned that the Southern Plains may continue to face the "severe threat" from the series of storms into late next week.

The Weather Channel explained what will cause the series of threatening weather conditions. "We have a high-pressure system that is sitting across the eastern U.S. This is forcing Gulf moisture to be pushed northward across the Plains. We then have a southward plunge of the jet stream, or trough, across the West, which will eventually pivot into the Central Plains. Troughs like this generally bring severe weather. Because of the high-pressure system across the East and the slow-moving nature of this trough, severe weather may hit many of the same areas for days."