The Easter holiday storm system that brought flash flood warnings to Los Angeles and heavy rain and mountain snow to other parts of California is focused on the central United States, where a low-pressure system will develop during the first week of April. Central Plains on Monday.
Forecast models say the first widespread severe weather will focus on the central United States on Monday, then slide eastward, impacting areas including the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys by Tuesday. Thunderstorms can produce harmful wind gusts, frequent lightning strikes, and tornadoes.
“What starts in the west will eventually make its way to the east,” said FOX Weather meteorologist Jane Minnaar. “All of that energy will move over the Four Corners throughout the weekend and take on a second life as it develops over the central United States.”
Monday’s forecast: Much of the country faces severe weather risks
Nearly 50 million Americans were in severe weather danger zones as of Monday.
This is caused by an influx of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and the good air is expected to pose a widespread severe threat into the evening over portions of the Southern Plains northeastward into the mid-Mississippi Valley.
All kinds of hazards are possible, including large hail, wind damage, and tornadoes. This severe threat is expected to impact portions of the Ohio Valley Monday night.
Areas including Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Norman in Oklahoma, and Springfield and Columbia in Missouri are facing a Level 3 severe weather threat, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center.
A supercell prevails in central and eastern Oklahoma, which could result in hail larger than 2 inches in diameter, the SPC said.
The threat of severe weather is expected to continue well after sunset Monday, and some tornadoes may become nocturnal. Nighttime tornadoes are more than twice as likely to cause fatalities than tornadoes that occur during the day.
To the north of the storm system, snow and freezing rain are a potential threat from the North Central Plains on Sunday, extending into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region on Monday, according to the FOX Prediction Center.
Tuesday’s forecast: Severe storms expected in the east
Prolonged showers and thunderstorms starting Monday and cell redevelopment in the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys are expected to be major themes Tuesday.
The area under increased threat Tuesday stretches from Ohio to northern Mississippi and Alabama.
This zone includes communities such as Nashville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky.
As on Monday, the FOX Forecast Center warned that all modes of severe weather were possible. The geographic extent should be reduced compared to Monday’s threat zone.
“The important message here is, as we monitor the weekend rain situation in the West, don’t lose sight of the start of a new week, the start of a new month,” Minard said. “When April rolls around, download the FOX Weather app and turn on alerts.”
After Tuesday, there is too little predictability to classify any community as an elevated threat.
Showers and thunderstorms will persist until a frontal boundary exists along the East Coast by Thursday.
April typically sees an increase in severe weather events as seasonal air masses collide over the eastern half of the country. In fact, this month is usually his second busiest month for tornadoes, trailing only May.
More active severe weather events in April typically occur when El Niño Southern Oscillation is in its La Niña phase. This is the opposite of the El Niño situation the world is currently in.
