Severe Storm System Set to Impact Central U.S. This Week
ATLANTA — A powerful storm system is forecasted to bring heavy rainfall to western states later this week before moving into the central United States, where it may produce tornadoes in the South and heavy snowfall across parts of the Great Plains and Upper Midwest, potentially leading to blizzard conditions.
This ominous outlook follows a weekend of severe thunderstorms in Texas that resulted in the overturning of semitrailers on Interstate 35 and a tragic incident at the Texas Motorplex drag racing strip near Dallas, where a man lost his life in an overturned recreational vehicle.
The storm system, which is expected to commence with an atmospheric river bringing substantial rain to Southern California on Thursday, will create conditions ripe for severe weather. Atmospheric rivers are significant flows of water vapor from the ocean that can deliver heavy precipitation to land.
The federal Weather Prediction Center reports that snow and strong winds will begin to affect the Intermountain West and Rockies from Thursday into Friday, with rapid developments anticipated over the Plains region.
As the weather system advances to the east, multiple southern states are at risk for a regional outbreak of severe thunderstorms beginning Friday and continuing into Saturday. This brings a varied array of severe weather hazards, including thunderstorms and supercells capable of producing destructive tornadoes.
The most severe weather is predicted to impact areas of Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee on Friday before moving toward Alabama by Saturday, though specific locations facing the highest risks are still uncertain.
Meanwhile, concerns over wildfires are rising in parts of the Southwest, with forecasts indicating critical wildfire conditions in southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico on Tuesday, along with areas in west Texas. The strong winds accompanying the incoming storm could exacerbate wildfire risks later in the week, particularly across the southern Plains.
In Texas, recovery efforts are underway following storm-related damage over the weekend. Winds reaching up to 90 mph damaged the roof of a Days Inn on Interstate 45, causing additional structural damage throughout Ellis County.
A man who perished in the RV incident has been identified as a 42-year-old from Midlothian, Texas. His family members, who were also inside the vehicle when it rolled over, received treatment at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
