200M at risk as severe storms, tornadoes threaten Central, Eastern U.S.

A series of severe thunderstorms packing high winds, hail and tornadoes will progress from the Great Lakes to the Ohio and Tennessee valleys through the end of the week, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.

A significant risk to lives and property may unfold.

Through Saturday, close to 200 million people in the central and eastern United States will be at risk of severe weather at some point. While the risk may take up only a small part of the 72-hour period, it could prove to be shocking and devastating to those most significantly affected by the storms.

A front will press southeastward into a zone of warm and increasingly humid air--setting the stage for multiple days of severe weather into the weekend. Some communities in the Midwest may face a severe weather emergency with a number of casualties and tremendous destruction in the pattern through Friday night. Some neighborhoods could be strewn with downed trees and be without power for an extended period.

Dangerous severe weather Thursday

From Thursday to Thursday night, a long-lived complex of severe thunderstorms may develop and progress for hundreds of miles, perhaps producing powerful wind gusts along the way from the Upper Midwest to parts of the Ohio Valley states.

Even if a large complex fails to form, severe thunderstorms will still be present in the zone capable of producing scattered to widespread severe weather ranging from damaging wind gusts to large hail, torrential downpours and even some tornadoes.

As the storms approach the major metro areas in the Midwest, such as Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis, substantial airline delays and ground stops are likely.

Some severe thunderstorms into Thursday night may extend as far south as southern Arkansas. There is also a separate pocket of severe weather anticipated in portions of Virginia and North Carolina during Thursday afternoon and evening.

The saturated ground could contribute to an excessive number of trees being knocked over by strong wind gusts during the storms in this mid-Atlantic and Appalachian zone.

Widespread violent storms Friday

From Friday to Friday evening, of the dozen or so tornadoes anticipated, the threat of some long-lived, strong tornadoes will increase and extend from the middle part of the Mississippi Valley through a large part of the Ohio Valley and part of the Tennessee Valley.

As the severe thunderstorms move along, they will likely congeal into one or more solid lines packing high winds and rain-wrapped spin-up tornadoes Friday night, centered on. but not limited to, portions of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.

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Some formidable thunderstorms are also forecast to make progress across upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and western North Carolina during Friday night. Even though these storms may be past their peak strength, they can still cause damage and significant power outages. Strong wind gusts, frequent lightning strikes and flooding downpours will be the main threats at that time in those states.

Severe weather threat to continue this weekend

On Saturday, the likelihood of pockets of dangerous, damaging and disruptive thunderstorms will extend from central Texas and Oklahoma, eastward to the Carolinas, then northward along the mid-Atlantic zone from Interstate 95 to the beaches, as well as the Hudson Valley of New York and into part of western New England.

Saturday will bring the greatest risk of severe weather through the weekend for the major Northeast metro areas such as New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

All modes of severe weather will be possible on Saturday. However, a lower number of tornadoes is likely, when compared to Thursday and Friday. Still, all it takes is a single, brief tornado to strike a populated area to lead to loss of life, injuries and significant destruction.

The likelihood of severe thunderstorms will settle farther to the west over portions of the central and southern Plains on Sunday.

Large hail, locally damaging wind gusts and flash flooding will be the main threats during the latter part of the weekend.

Severe weather to ramp up again early next week

The chance of severe weather, including the potential for multiple tornadoes, will increase over the Central states early next week.

Just as with the severe weather into the weekend, another significant outbreak is likely, with lives and property at risk.