Chicago, Illinois – The holiday weekend in the Midwest is expected to kick off with a high tornado threat on Friday, with Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa facing the greatest risk. This comes after a week of severe storms and tornadoes hitting various states across the region.
On Thursday, more than 2 dozen tornadoes were reported in states like Illinois, Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. The severe weather also brought damaging winds, knocking down trees and power lines in states like Maine, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.
As people prepare to travel for Memorial Day weekend, Friday’s forecast shows the potential for severe weather stretching from Austin, Texas, to Chicago. Cities like Dallas, Little Rock in Arkansas, Memphis in Tennessee, St. Louis in Missouri, Indianapolis, and Chicago are all under the threat of tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail.
The severe weather is expected to continue into Saturday, with Kansas and Oklahoma bracing for strong tornadoes, severe wind gusts, and large hail. On Sunday, cities like St. Louis, Louisville in Kentucky, and Indianapolis are in the crosshairs for potential tornado activity.
Memorial Day itself will bring heavy rain and thunderstorms to the Northeast, with a risk of flash flooding along the Interstate 95 corridor. Record high temperatures are also forecasted for Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida over the weekend, with cities like San Antonio, Houston, New Orleans, and Miami potentially experiencing the hottest Memorial Day on record.
Overall, the holiday weekend is shaping up to be a challenging one in terms of weather, with residents and travelers urged to stay informed and take precautions to stay safe amidst the severe conditions.