A broad system of thunderstorms is expected to sweep across the nation’s northern corridor starting Sunday evening, bringing the threat of damaging winds, hail, and flash flooding. Forecasters warn that these conditions could disrupt Monday evening commutes with heavy downpours and gusty winds.
The Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions face the highest risk as storms develop along the edge of a heat dome currently centered over the Plains. These storms, fueled by significant heat and humidity, are expected to intensify by Sunday evening. Accuweather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham noted that the system could produce "wide swaths of damaging wind gusts" reaching speeds of up to 85 miles per hour as it moves southeast into the Great Lakes.
Predicting the exact path of the severe weather remains challenging. "Day-to-day thunderstorm activity can sometimes rely on where previous rounds of thunderstorms develop, which makes pinning down the exact location of the highest risk for severe weather difficult until just a matter of hours before storms form," Buckingham explained.
The current system already impacted Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Saturday night, where 80-mile-per-hour winds were recorded, with gusts exceeding 90 miles per hour in southern outskirts, resulting in widespread power outages. As the system tracks eastward, the National Weather Service anticipates additional power outages and downed tree limbs, with lightning and heavy rain expected by Monday afternoon and evening.
Impacts are projected to extend into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, specifically threatening travel along the Interstate 95 corridor from New York City to Raleigh, North Carolina, where damaging gusts and hail are possible. Prolonged heavy rainfall is expected to persist along the northern edge of the system through Tuesday evening, increasing the risk of flash flooding from Buffalo to Boston. By Wednesday, urban areas and locations with poor drainage across New England could face further severe weather and potential flash floods.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service reports that hazardous heat will persist across the central and southern United States. Afternoon highs on Sunday and Monday are forecast to reach the upper 90s and lower 100s, with heat indices potentially climbing between 105 and 115 degrees across the Rockies, the Plains, the Mississippi Valley, and parts of the South.
