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For the tenth straight day in a row, the Plains can't catch a break from rumbling skies and dangerous weather. The threat will slowly shift towards the Great Lakes as the work week gets underway.
A fresh cold front swooping in from the Northern Rockies is instigating this latest round of thunderstorms. Already, big storms are greeting the Northern Plains as cooler 50s and 60s clash with warm 70s along the front.
Severe Thunderstorm Watches stretch from northwestern Minnesota to the Front Range. Goodland, Kan., North Platte, Neb., Bismarck and Grand Forks, N.D., and Pierre and Rapid City, S.D., are included.
The storms will continue to blossom as they slide across the Dakotas. Additional storms are blossoming farther south into Nebraska, eastern Colorado and northern Kansas. Hail larger than golf balls will be the main threat through mid-afternoon. Then, wind gusts exceeding 57 mph are possible in storms as they move into the eastern Dakotas this evening. Western Minnesota will have to watch out for these storms after sunset.
Colby, Kan., McCook, Valentine and Norfolk, Neb., Sioux Falls and Aberdeen, S.D., and Bismarck, N.D., will have to keep a close eye to the sky during Memorial Day picnics.
Not to be outdone, fresh storms forming in the higher terrain of eastern Colorado and western Texas will ease into places like Amarillo, Lubbock and Midland, Texas, and Woodward, Okla. Large hail and gusty winds will accompany the activity.
The front will continue to motor into the Upper Midwest to start the abbreviated work week. Ahead of the front, the clash of warm, moist air with cooler, drier air will foster thunderstorms from Minneapolis and Des Moines, Iowa to Kansas City, Mo., and Wichita, Kan. Similar to today, large hail and damaging wind gusts will unleash in a few of the storms.
Storms later today will keep kicking across the Central and Southern Plains into early Tuesday before diminishing to rain showers shortly after sunrise. That won’t be the end of the thunder and lightning though. Fresh storms can be expected ahead of the cold front in places like Oklahoma City, Lubbock and Midland, Texas.
By Wednesday, the front will finally sweep into the Great Lakes. In its wake, the Central and Northern Plains will enjoy dry, comfortable weather. The focus for thunderstorms will shift into cities like Chicago, Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wis., Peoria, Ill., and St. Louis. The risks will remain the same as earlier in the week with large hail and brief, gusty winds in a few of the storms.
As we reach the beginning of summer and outdoor activity increases, it is imperative to pay close attention to any watches or warnings issued. Make sure you download the WeatherBug app, which will update you on watches and warnings for your area. It also contains Spark lightning app, which tells you where the closest lightning is so you can Know Before the storm hits and quickly get to safety.