Severe storms could threaten the nation’s Plains through the rest of the week, starting Tuesday.
A jet stream over the western part of the country is driving the weather pattern that will send “repeated pockets of powerful storms” through the central U.S. for the rest of the week, meteorologists said.
“A classic severe weather setup will ensue in the High Plains as moisture, wind shear and atmospheric instability will fuel the development of storms this week,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Andrew Johnson-Levine explained.
Tuesday should also bring showers and thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast and through the southeast.
And residents in the upper Midwest should get another day of above-average temperatures before a “significant” cool-down on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Here’s a look at Tuesday’s weather forecast.
Severe storms threaten the Plains
Residents in Texas, Oklahoma and eastern Colorado are among those at a marginal risk for severe weather on Tuesday, forecasts show.
Large hail – think the size of a lime or a medium-sized egg – is probably the biggest threat, meteorologists said, though gusty winds and downpours are expected to come with the storm systems, too.
“Hail emerges as a prominent threat, with the potential for hailstones exceeding 2 inches in diameter,” Johnson-Levine said.
Flood watch along Florida panhandle near Georgia, Alabama
Northern Florida and southern Georgia residents could get a few days of rain thanks to a cold front that stalled across the top of the Florida panhandle, weather service meteorologists said.
The system could unleash heavy rain from slow-moving storms over the next few days, with flash flooding the primary threat, particularly Tuesday, as rain falls on already saturated ground, forecasts show. The weather service warned as much as 3 inches of rain could fall in parts of the Florida panhandle Tuesday.
A flood watch is in effect until late Tuesday night in the area.
A slight risk of excessive rainfall is in the forecast for southeastern Georgia and northern Florida, meteorologists said.
Cold front headed to northern U.S.
Tuesday should be a pleasant day across the upper Midwest and the Northeast, with highs ranging from the low 70s to the low 80s throughout the area.
But Tuesday evening, rain should start to enter the mix as a cold front moves into the U.S. from Canada, which could have a big impact on the forecast in the back half of the week.
US weather watches and warnings
National weather radar
More coverage from USA TODAY Network
Graphics: El Niño could return in 2023; what that means for the world’s weather
Deadly skies: Extreme weather has killed 2 million people since 1970, UN report says
Decade of hurricane seasons saw 7-year streak of early starts, Greek alphabet & January storms
Stormy Memorial Day weekend weather? Forecasters eye early start to hurricane season
