Chances of Severe Weather Increasing Next Week for Much of U.S.

March is not wasting any time in getting the severe weather threat started. Forecasters are warning that a line of storms that is capable of producing tornadoes is set to come together next week and impact portions of the southern, central, and eastern U.S. in the week ahead. Here is what you need to know about this potentially dangerous weather situation.

Severe Weather Threat Coming Together for Southern U.S. and Beyond Next Week

The first severe weather threat of the spring season will build throughout the southern Plains on Tuesday before pushing into the lower part of the Mississippi Valley. By Wednesday, the storms are expected to track into the Appalachians, the northeastern strip of the Gulf Coast, and over to the southern Atlantic coastline.

This weather maker is getting its start in the far northern Pacific Ocean. The system will slide down into the Pacific Northwest this weekend before dropping over the Rocky Mountains on Monday. From there, the energy and moisture associated with the system will move into the southern tier of the U.S. where it will find moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to fuel its intensification. The rising temperatures in this part of the nation and a strong jet stream pattern will further amplify the development of these storms.

The latest models are predicting that widespread thunderstorms will fire up on Tuesday throughout the south-central U.S. The storm cells will migrate into the Ohio Valley and the Southeast by Wednesday.

Although this part of the country has already seen some bursts of severe weather this year, meteorologists are warning that this event will likely be more potent than its predecessors. Looking back, the outbreak of storms in mid-February produced almost 400 reports of severe weather along with a few dozen tornadoes. The upcoming event is expected to be larger in size and scope, encompassing about two dozen states.

While the impact zone could spread over 20 states, the worst of the activity will be centered across northeastern Texas and into northern portions of Louisana, southern Arkansas, and central Mississippi. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has marked this area as being at risk for severe thunderstorms on Tuesday and into the overnight hours.

It is rare for the SPC to highlight a specific area as being under the gun for severe weather this far in advance. The outlook was issued on Friday morning. The move means that the agency is especially concerned about the dangers associated with this upcoming system.

Likely Impacts of the Mid-Week Storm Event

There is a chance that some of these storms could generate supercell thunderstorms. This type of thunderstorm is best distinguished for its ability to trigger tornadoes.

In addition to the threat of isolated tornadic activity, the cells will produce strong winds. Forecasters are expecting peak straight-line wind gusts to hit speeds between 65 and 75 mph during the height of the activity. This translates to winds equal to a Category 1 hurricane.