The severe storms that targeted the Midwest and Ohio Valley are winding down. However, severe storms are expected to continue overnight, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds. As the storms move towards the East, a cold front will follow, causing below-average temperatures.
Nearly 50 million people were in the path of intense severe storms that were ramped up across parts of the Midwest and Ohio Valley with significant hail, damaging wind gusts and tornado warnings, as a cold front continues to push through the region, leaving winter-like temperatures in its wake.
WINTER DELIVERS FINAL PUNCH TO NORTHEAST WITH SNOW AS HEAVY RAIN TARGETS THE SOUTHEAST
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center increased the threat to a Level 3 out of 5 for severe thunderstorms across a corridor of central Illinois, central Indiana and central Ohio — including the Indianapolis metro area.
(FOX Weather)
A Level 2 out of 5 threat covered a wider area, including Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
A strengthening dip in the jet stream over eastern Canada drove the cold front through the Great Lakes and into the Ohio Valley, as the system moved around a large heat dome that is currently baking the western part of the country.
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All modes of severe weather were possible, including damaging wind gusts and egg-sized hail. Some areas experienced dangerous wind gusts of 65 mph — one of the main reasons for upgrading the threat to Level 3.
(FOX Weather)
The storms organized into a line resulting in significant hail stones larger than 2 inches from central Missouri into far northern Ohio. This included St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis and Cleveland.
Damaging winds became the primary concern from Pittsburgh to Kansas City.
WHAT IS A SUPERCELL?
The system will begin to race south and east through the night, reaching the Mid-Atlantic by Friday morning. Widespread soaking rain is expected for much of the East Coast through Friday, causing potential travel delays even as storms become less severe.
(FOX Weather)
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Severe storms may persist through the night as the cold front slows down, moving south and east.
(FOX Weather)
According to the FOX Forecast Center, rainfall is expected to increase overnight from Southern New York to western Pennsylvania into central Illinois. A Level 1 out of 4 Flash Flood Warning is forecast.
A widespread 1 to 2 inches of rain is possible, but isolated totals could be higher.
(FOX Weather)
As the front pushes south into the Southeast by Friday, thunderstorms may linger, although it’s very likely they will weaken. The overall severity depends on the daytime temperatures and wind gusts.
The storms will then move offshore by early Saturday morning, where the majority of the U.S. will face below-average temperatures.
SPLIT IN THE POLAR VORTEX COULD MEAN ONE LAST HURRAH FOR WINTER ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER
Winter’s last gasp
Behind the cold front, temperatures will drop into the 30s and 40s on Friday across much of the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast after experiencing temps in the upper 60s and 70s.
The winter-like cold extends through the first half of the weekend, with more than 100 million people experiencing below average temperatures on Saturday from Maine to South Carolina.
(FOX Weather)
Check back for updates on this developing story.
