World2Day – The three-day event will unfold across about 1,400 miles, including parts of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic that got battered over the weekend by severe storms.
As the system treks east, parts of the Southeast could experience severe weather Thursday, with a large swath of the East Coast on track to feel impacts on Friday.
Storms first target the central United States
They are due to begin Wednesday in the middle of the country, with the most significant threat stretching from central-southeastern Texas to southern Kansas. Large hail and isolated tornadoes are concerns for places including Dallas and Austin, Texas, and Oklahoma City.
Those areas already face an “enhanced risk” of severe thunderstorms — the third of five risk levels — according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.
Bad weather, expected to organize Wednesday afternoon across the southern Plains, will become more widespread in the evening and into the night.
The biggest concern is the potential for large hail, possibly 2 inches or more in diameter. Strong winds are also possible, along with the risk of a few tornadoes.
Beyond the “enhanced risk” zone, a “slight risk” (Level 2 of 5) of severe storms extends from the Mexico-Texas border to Iowa. That includes densely populated areas around San Antonio; Tulsa, Oklahoma, Kansas City; Wichita, Kansas; and Shreveport, Louisiana.
By Friday morning, the bad weather will near coastal Atlantic states, bringing the potential for severe weather from Florida to Washington.
The risk there will be partially dampened by the intense rainfall associated with the broad system, but conditions should still allow for a few individual storms to intensify. The threat should diminish throughout the overnight hours as the cold front associated with the potent storms finally pushes off shore.
CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen contributed to this report.
