Central U.S. severe weather begins ramp up

The first of several storm systems to impact the central U.S. is winding up on Wednesday. It’ll introduce a severe weather chance to areas that have been rather quiet as we move through peak tornado season. Some needed rain should also come to the international border region of Canada and the United States.

Weather Watch

May makes a comeback. Renewed rounds of severe thunderstorms are on the way to the central U.S. as a break in organized severe weather for the region comes to a close. Storms should roam parts of the central and northern Plains on Wednesday, with a bigger risk over the Midwest and Great Lakes region for Thursday. Additional rounds are likely through next week.

Lightning links

More than 100 dead after floods hit eastern DR Congo.

Floods force evacuation of elementary schools in northwestern Maryland.

UK on track for driest spring on record.

Too soon

At least 20,000 acres have been scorched by several fires in Minnesota over recent days. Even larger blazes are burning in nearby southern Canada.

A number of out-of-control fires were ongoing Tuesday as a cold front entered the region and kicked up winds. This at least temporarily caused rapid fire spread, and helped in the development of “pyrocu,” or convective clouds above the flames.

In the most intense examples, pyrocu can develop into what are typically dry thunderstorms that fuel locally extreme fire conditions.

About

Weekday morning newsletter by a journalist/forecaster. Connecting weather and climate change dots while occasionally stirring the pot.

Find this interesting? Forward it on and tell a friend!