Multi-day severe weather threat has millions on alert from Texas to Midwest

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The threat of severe storms continues to increase across the midsection of the nation this week as millions from Texas to the Midwest and Great Lakes brace for another multi-day threat of severe weather.

The threat began Tuesday in Missouri, but by Thursday, the severe weather is expected to increase and spread to include tens of millions of people from Dallas to Chicago.

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Wednesday's severe storm threat includes the central plains, lower Missouri Valley

Intense storm activity is expected to really cook on Wednesday, the FOX Forecast Center says.

Storm coverage, as well as severe weather threat, will increase during the day as humidity, atmospheric energy and wind shear will be much higher.

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There are two areas of concern on Wednesday. the first along a warm front covered by Missouri and Kansas. This first round of storms is expected to develop across northeast Kansas after 5 p.m. CT before expanding to Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa.

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NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed nearly 3 million people across the region in cities such as Kansas City, Missouri, and Topeka, Kansas, at a 2 out of 5 on the 5-point storm danger scale.

The second area of ​​concern is from southeast Kansas to extreme northeast Texas, where atmospheric conditions will also support storm development. However, the FOX Forecast Center says a cap, or “cap,” in the atmosphere could prevent storms from forming in this area.

Any severe storms that develop Wednesday are capable of large hail, damaging wind gusts over 60 mph and a few tornadoes.

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Thursday could be the highlight of the multi-day threat of severe weather

Thursday could be the day the bulk of the severe weather action begins, with millions of people from Texas to the Great Lakes at risk of potentially dangerous extreme weather.

The SPC has placed nearly 18 million people at risk at Level 2 out of 5 on the severe storm risk scale Thursday, and the threat includes cities such as Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Garland and Waco in Texas, as well as Springfield. and Jefferson City in Missouri and Des Moines in Iowa.

The FOX Forecast Center says the day will again focus on two main areas of potential development, with the first crossing southern Iowa and northern Missouri into central Illinois and the second further south from eastern Oklahoma and Texas into Louisiana and the Arkansas.

Atmospheric conditions near the area of ​​low pressure and the warm front will likely result in the development of supercell storms in northern Missouri, Illinois, and southeastern Iowa.

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Storms developing along and south of the warm front will be capable of producing hail greater than 2 inches, wind gusts higher than 60 mph and a few tornadoes.

To the south, strong thunderstorms should erupt ahead of a dry line across Oklahoma and northeast Texas – including the Dallas-Fort Worth area – during the early afternoon.

Any severe storm will bring the risk of large hail, damaging wind gusts over 60 mph and possible tornadoes. But the FOX Prediction Center says how the storms will develop Thursday afternoon is still unclear.

If these storms join together and form a straight line, then the threat of damaging straight-line winds will increase, before the storms weaken and break down Friday night.

So be sure to download the free FOX Weather app and turn on notifications to be notified of any major forecast changes or severe weather alerts issued in your area.