A series of thunderstorm complexes is expected to move across the central and eastern United States this week, bringing risks of severe weather, high winds, and widespread flash flooding from the Plains to the mid-Atlantic.
According to AccuWeather meteorologists, repeated rounds of storms will track across the region through mid-week. The primary system will begin over the Plains and Midwest before pushing east into the Ohio Valley and Appalachians, bringing recurring heavy rainfall to areas already affected by earlier summer storms.
Through Sunday night, severe weather will stretch from the western Dakotas into northwestern Ohio. Forecasters warn these storms could produce hail, localized tornadoes, flash flooding, and wind gusts between 60 mph and 70 mph.
A moderate risk zone covers western Iowa, southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and northern Indiana, including the Chicago metropolitan area.
On Monday and Tuesday, the threat shifts eastward. A broad corridor extending from northeastern Illinois through central Pennsylvania and into northern Virginia faces potential hazards including isolated tornadoes, flash flooding, and wind gusts reaching 65 mph to 75 mph.
Meteorologists warn the timing of these systems could disrupt morning and evening commutes in major metro areas, including Chicago, Detroit, and Pittsburgh. A second wave of severe weather is also forecast to develop across parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa during the same timeframe.
By mid-week, continuous rainfall will heighten the risk of flash flooding across the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians. Southern Ohio, eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, and southwestern Pennsylvania face the greatest risk, as high terrain accelerates runoff.
Accumulated rainfall totals of several inches are forecast from Monday night through Thursday night, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax prediction of up to 12 inches in isolated spots.
Local authorities and forecasters advise residents in low-lying areas to monitor weather alerts and remind drivers to avoid traveling through flooded roadways.
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