Midweek Storms Kick Off Rocky Stretch of Days for South-Central U.S.

A midweek rash of storms will serve as a small reminder of what is to come later in the week as severe weather season ramps across the central U.S. Here is a look at what to expect in the days ahead.

Wednesday and Thursday Storms are Appetizers for What is on the Horizon

Forecasters are warning that millions will be in the path of severe weather this week. The action will get started on Wednesday evening in the south-central portion of the country, signaling what is to come by the end of the week.

The stormy conditions are part of the same system that dumped heavy rain and snow across California on Tuesday. The system is chugging along at a fast clip as it makes its way into the south-central U.S. through Thursday. The bulk of the activity on Wednesday and Thursday will be focused on Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

The midweek storm is not part of the same event that forecasters have been warning is headed to the central U.S. on Friday and Saturday. Although the storms on Wednesday and Thursday are not likely to reach the intensity of the late-week event, they will still pack impacts such as hail and heavy rain at times.

The primary area of concern for the late Wednesday storms are large hail and damaging winds. Hail the size of golf balls could fall across the region, causing instances of property damage. Winds will reach speeds of 55 to 65 mph with top gusts potentially eclipsing 80 mph. This is a good time to secure all loose objects outdoors so that they do not become projectiles. Winds of this speed are also strong enough to lead to localized power outages.

The storms are forecast to continue their fast forward speed. This will limit the chances of flash flooding. Lastly, you cannot rule out the threat of isolated tornadoes.

There are a number of major cities that could see severe weather pop up on Wednesday and into Thursday. This list includes Little Rock, Dallas, and Memphis. By Thursday, the primary zone of impact will center over the Southeast before the main event kicks off on Friday.

For example, Little Rock is anticipating the storms to ignite after dark on Wednesday. Storms that occur under the cover of darkness are inherently more dangerous because they are more difficult to spot on radar and because people may be sleeping and unaware of what is happening outside.

The stormy and rainy conditions will linger into Thursday in Memphis. This part of the south-central U.S. will see a brief period of sunshine later Thursday before the next round of severe weather arrives Friday afternoon.