By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-29 18:29:50 | Updated at 2024-10-30 05:29:09
11 hours ago
A multi-day severe weather threat kicks off this week heading into Halloween, bringing with it the potential for damaging winds, hail and severe thunderstorms for the Central U.S.
A cold front begins its trek across the central and southern Plains this week. Warmer temperatures will converge along the cold front, creating possible thunderstorm development.
The biggest potential for extreme weather is set to unfold Wednesday before the front marches into the Northeast by Halloween night.
“I think one of the interesting things here is that this is a fall front, but the placement of severe weather is closer to what we would see in spring,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “So kind of interesting, but sometimes you have an echoed weather pattern between seasons. Keep in mind, fall and spring, it’s all about transitions.”
Hail, strong storms possible beginning Tuesday
The severe weather potential begins Tuesday for parts of the Midwest and Plains, with areas from Texas to Iowa under a Level 1 out of 5 threat on the SPC’s 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale.
Cities at risk include Omaha, Nebraska, Wichita, Kansas and Woodward, Oklahoma.
Kansas City to Dallas face significant severe threat Wednesday
The SPC has issued a Level 2 out of 5 threat for severe thunderstorms Wednesday, which includes major cities in the Southern Plains and into the Ozarks, such as Dallas, Oklahoma City and Kansas City.
“Wednesday is when we’re going to have the greatest possibility – North Texas all the way into the Missouri Ozarks, north into Kansas City,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan said. “There’s going to be a sector here that large hail, damaging winds, could be a significant threat.”
There is also a low threat for tornadoes within the severe weather risk zone.
Storms will likely develop around mid-afternoon Wednesday, moving east across Kansas and into Oklahoma. Those participating in trunk-or-treat activities and early Halloween celebrations should have their weather alerts on and be ready to move indoors.
Rainy Halloween
As the front continues racing east, there will be less storm energy, transitioning this system into a rain event.
Cities including Dallas, Little Rock and Memphis could have a rainy Halloween with some thunderstorm activity.
The moisture is badly needed across many parts of the U.S. that are in drought and facing dangerous fire weather conditions.
Parts of Kansas and Oklahoma are under Fire Weather Warnings this week as critical fire weather continues driven by strong winds and very dry vegetation.
Severe weather is also possible along the Gulf Coast and into the Mississippi Valley on Thursday.
The SPC has highlighted areas of East Texas through Louisiana and into southeastern Arkansas and western Mississippi where the threat of severe weather exists.
As of Tuesday, the SPC has placed that region in a Level 1 out of 5 risk of seeing severe weather.
