Severe storms to focus on Plains states through Father's Day weekend
The greatest risk of severe weather through the Father's Day weekend will be over the Great Plains, near the edge of moist air to the east and dry air to the west, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
People with travel or outdoor plans through the weekend are encouraged to stay up-to-date with the weather. As thunderstorms grow, conditions can quickly change during the late afternoon and evening hours. As a general rule, "if thunder roars move indoors."
•Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
Much of the thunderstorm activity may be widely separated over the vast open places of the Plains. However, some storms may gather to form large groups where more severe weather can occur and move along over considerable distances.
Into Thursday night, severe weather associated with a jet stream storm will focus a bit east of the Plains from the mid-Mississippi Valley to the upper Texas coast. These storms can be especially drenching as they will be in the thick of moist air from the Gulf.
Farther west, thunderstorms will extend along a 1,200-mile-long zone from West Texas and central and eastern New Mexico to central and eastern South Dakota. Some of the strongest storms in this zone can bring large hail and wind gusts ranging from 60-80 mph.
On Friday, the threat of severe thunderstorms will extend across the central and northern High Plains.
From Friday afternoon to Friday evening, a greater concentration of severe weather is anticipated from the Nebraska Panhandle to central Montana. Once again, large hail and powerful wind gusts will be the greatest risks to lives and property.
Yet another round of severe thunderstorms is forecast for the same general area of the High Plains on Saturday.
Even though Saturday's severe thunderstorms during the late-day and nighttime hours will be widely separated, the risk will extend for nearly 1,000 miles from the Oklahoma Panhandle to northern Montana.
The Saturday evening storms will bring the risk of a few tornadoes, as well as the same potential for large hail and powerful wind gusts.
On Father's Day, the severe weather threat will expand farther to the east across the northern and central Plains.
On Sunday, the storms will advance eastward as a solid line, broken line segments or perhaps a large cluster.
The storms on Father's Day will carry the full spectrum of severe weather ranging from powerful wind gusts to hail, flash flooding and perhaps a few tornadoes.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
People keep being struck by lightning: 4 reports in about 24 hours
At least four people were struck by lightning over a time span of roughly 24 hours on June 19 and 20 as summer thunderstorms pummeled parts of the nation. A 15-year-old boy survived being struck by lightning in Central Park in New York City on the afternoon of June 19, according to reports by Accuweather and media outlets in the area. The following day, on June 20, three men experienced jolts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on the state's east-central coast. A 29-year-old Colorado man standing in the ocean in ankle deep water around 12:30 p.m. was critically injured by a lightning strike, according to Tammy Malphurs, director of Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue. A bystander and lifeguards immediately started life-saving measures, but the victim was unresponsive when taken from the scene to a local hospital, authorities said. Later that afternoon, about eight miles inland, two men on the Venetian Bay golf course were jolted when lightning struck nearby, but neither of them were taken to the hospital, according to WESH 2, a local television station The lightning injuries occur just as the 25th annual National Lightning Safety Awareness Week kicks off on June 22. 'It's a good time to remember the dangers that exist,' said John Jensenius, lightning specialist with the National Lightning Safety Council. 'We are about to enter the peak of the lightning season across the U.S.,' Jensenius said. 'With the increased lightning activity and the increase in people enjoying outdoor activities, we typically see an increase in lightning fatalities from late June through August." On June 8, Spencer Loalbo, a 41-year-old father of three and his father were golfing in Gunter, Texas when they were hit by a single bolt from a single storm cloud, authorities said, according to NBC 5 in Dallas. Loalbo was killed in the "blink of an eye" stated a Go Fund Me fundraiser set up for his wife and daughters. His father was critically injured and taken to a hospital. Spencer Loalbo's death was the third lightning fatality in the U.S. this year. The leading cause of lightning deaths is fishing, and it's already responsible for two lightning deaths this year, USA TODAY previously reported. Lightning strikes on golf courses are tied with yard work for 11th place on the list of activities responsible for the most lightning deaths, Jensenius said. Forty-two lightning deaths have been reported in Texas since 2006, second only to Florida, where 93 deaths have been attributed to lightning over the same time span. Several hundred people are injured by lightning each year. Most survive, but many have lifelong neurological symptoms. If you're going to be outside, it's important to remain alert for changing weather conditions, according to the Safety Council and National Weather Service. Plan in advance where you would seek shelter, and if you hear thunder, go indoors. In one of four ways: Direct strike: The person becomes a part of the main discharge channel, usually when outside in an open area. Side flash: Lightning strikes a tall object and part of the current jumps from the object to the victim − for example, when a person is struck while standing under a tree. Ground current: Lightning enters the body at the point closest to a strike, travels through the body and leaves at the contact point farthest away from the initial strike. This causes most deaths and injuries. Conduction: This is the cause of most indoor lightning deaths and injuries. Lightning travels through wires and other metal surfaces. Choose the closest large, enclosed space with plumbing and electrical wiring. Don't shelter in unprotected open buildings, such as metal sheds, picnic pavilions, baseball dugouts and porches. If a shelter isn't available, keep moving to search for a safe place. Don't lie down or crouch on the ground. Avoid trees, light poles, metal fences and bleachers. A fully enclosed car or truck can be an option of last resort, but don't touch the steering wheel, radio or ignition. Which states get the most lightning? See lightning from space See a bolt of lightning strike at the JR Motorsports headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina. Contributing: Patricio G. Balona and Sheldon Gardner, Daytona Beach News-Journal, USA TODAY Network, and Doyle Rice, USA TODAY. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lightening strikes multiple people in about 24 hours
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
People keep being struck by lightning: 4 reports in about 24 hours
The lightning injuries occur just as the 25th annual National Lightning Safety Awareness Week kicks off on June 22. At least four people were struck by lightning over a time span of roughly 24 hours on June 19 and 20 as summer thunderstorms pummeled parts of the nation. A 15-year-old boy survived being struck by lightning in Central Park in New York City on the afternoon of June 19, according to reports by Accuweather and media outlets in the area. The following day, on June 20, three men experienced jolts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on the state's east-central coast. A 29-year-old Colorado man standing in the ocean in ankle deep water around 12:30 p.m. was critically injured by a lightning strike, according to Tammy Malphurs, director of Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue. A bystander and lifeguards immediately started life-saving measures, but the victim was unresponsive when taken from the scene to a local hospital, authorities said. Later that afternoon, about eight miles inland, two men on the Venetian Bay golf course were jolted when lightning struck nearby, but neither of them were taken to the hospital, according to WESH 2, a local television station The lightning injuries occur just as the 25th annual National Lightning Safety Awareness Week kicks off on June 22. 'It's a good time to remember the dangers that exist,' said John Jensenius, lightning specialist with the National Lightning Safety Council. 'We are about to enter the peak of the lightning season across the U.S.,' Jensenius said. 'With the increased lightning activity and the increase in people enjoying outdoor activities, we typically see an increase in lightning fatalities from late June through August." On June 8, Spencer Loalbo, a 41-year-old father of three and his father were golfing in Gunter, Texas when they were hit by a single bolt from a single storm cloud, authorities said, according to NBC 5 in Dallas. Loalbo was killed in the "blink of an eye" stated a Go Fund Me fundraiser set up for his wife and daughters. His father was critically injured and taken to a hospital. Spencer Loalbo's death was the third lightning fatality in the U.S. this year. The leading cause of lightning deaths is fishing, and it's already responsible for two lightning deaths this year, USA TODAY previously reported. Lightning strikes on golf courses are tied with yard work for 11th place on the list of activities responsible for the most lightning deaths, Jensenius said. Forty-two lightning deaths have been reported in Texas since 2006, second only to Florida, where 93 deaths have been attributed to lightning over the same time span. Several hundred people are injured by lightning each year. Most survive, but many have lifelong neurological symptoms. If you're going to be outside, it's important to remain alert for changing weather conditions, according to the Safety Council and National Weather Service. Plan in advance where you would seek shelter, and if you hear thunder, go indoors. How do people get struck by lightning? In one of four ways: Where can you shelter if caught outside? Learn more about lightning: Contributing: Patricio G. Balona and Sheldon Gardner, Daytona Beach News-Journal, USA TODAY Network, and Doyle Rice, USA TODAY.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
One of worst heatwaves in decades headed to Myrtle Beach soon. Here's when, how long it'll last
Get ready to sweat, Myrtle Beach. A heat wave moving east across the United States is heading for the Atlantic Coast, bringing scorching temperatures and high humidity. 'We are going to get blazing hot all week long next week,' said meteorologist Ian Boatman with the National Weather Service's Wilmington Office. If current predictions hold, this weekend could usher in the longest stretch of days above 90 degrees F since the summer of 1959. 'The main theme is highs in the 90s — well into the 90s — every day, and your heat index will likely shoot up into the triple digits by Saturday,' Boatman said. 'But we really head into what we call heat advisory criteria by Monday. Heat advisory criteria is 105 to 109 so we're really going to be hot going into next week.' If temperatures are as high as predicted, it'll be the first time in decades the area sees temperatures this hot this long. 'We're talking about an eight-day stretch for temperatures will be at least in the low-to-mid 90s for northeastern parts of South Carolina, and if that is definitely achieved, which looks highly likely, it would rank as the second-longest stretch of consecutive days with the high temperature at or above 90, specifically for Myrtle Beach,' AccuWeather senior meteorologist Chad Merrill said. With slightly above-normal humidity, temperatures will likely peak in the Grand Strand around mid week, but the heat probably won't noticeably shift day to day. 'It looks like Tuesday looks like it's going to have the worst of the heat index values there. That's not to say it's a big, dramatic difference, really, because when I look at Monday and Wednesday, we still have heat indices that are 105 to 108 whereas Tuesday is like 108 to 110, and at that point, you're not really going to feel much of a difference,' said Boatman. AccuWeather predicts Wednesday will be the hottest day next week, with a high around 94 degrees Fahrenheit near the coast and 97 degrees F inland. 'Typically, you get a little bit of a cooling breeze from the ocean, but with this high pressure in place, the winds will be fairly light, so it's going to be very hot, even at the beach during this stretch of weather,' Merrill said. Although temperatures are expected to drop at night, experts don't expect much relief. 'During the overnight period, temperatures will only drop into the low-to-mid 70s, with the AccuWeather RealFeel temperature at 80 to 85 degrees. So, really, no relief during the overnight period,' said Merrill. The NWS Wilmington Office hasn't issued heat advisories yet this year, but according to Boatman, the agency will likely announce advisories throughout next week. Current forecasts don't call for much rain next week, Myrtle Beach could finally see some relief next weekend, especially if rain comes. 'It looks like the pattern will start to break down once we get into June 28 to July 1, then we should finally break the heat wave across the east, and that would bring up a better risk for more thunderstorms and a little bit of a cooling relief from the ocean,' Merrill said. Heat is the top cause of weather-related deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. As the heat wave scorches through Myrtle Beach, experts say it's important to take precautions. The wet bulb globe temperature, a heat stress measurement that analyzes factors like air temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover, indicates people in the Myrtle Beach area could suffer heat-related sicknesses with prolonged exposure outdoors next week. 'The wet bulb globe temperature in the Myrtle Beach area will be in the low-to-mid 80s range, and when you look at the wet bulb globe temperature chart, that particular range indicates that working or exercising in direct sunlight will stress your body after about 30 minutes,' Merrill said. With 'blazing hot' temperatures, Boatman recommends staying inside whenever possible. For those braving the outdoors, wearing loose-fitting, light-colored clothing and a wide-brimmed hat can offer some protection. It's also crucial to stay hydrated. Those with pets should limit animals' time outside and watch out for scorching pavement, which can burn paws just like human feet. According to Merrill, homes tend to get the warmest between 9 to 11 p.m. due to heat absorption, so people without air conditioning may consider seeking shelter with friends or family overnight. Summers in Myrtle Beach are always warm, but 2025 could be especially hot. After an unusually warm spring, the NWS Climate Prediction Center reports an increased likelihood of above-normal temperatures in the eastern Carolinas this summer. Temperatures typically rise later in the summer and, as the season progresses, the Grand Strand could see another heat wave. 'We will see a little bit of a pattern shift towards more historically, closer-to-average temperatures once we get into the early part of July,' Merrill said. 'There is that potential once we get into late July, into the first part of August, or the middle of August, where we could have a similar type of pattern again, where we have temperatures in the 90s for several days on end, but that would be mid to late summer.'
