The FOX Forecast Center is tracking a potent storm system that has the potential of producing rounds of showers and thunderstorms across most of the northern tier of the country over the weekend and during the start of the upcoming workweek.
The combination of a southerly flow and moist, unstable air will lead to rounds of rains kicking off ahead of an eastward-advancing cold front.
The rains are expected to begin on Saturday across the Plains and work eastward with each subsequent day.
Over the system’s trek across the northern tier of the country, nearly 80 million Americans will find themselves under a heightened thunderstorm risk.
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The first day of the event could produce severe weather across Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has placed the region under a level 2 out of 5 threat on its severe thunderstorm risk category scale.
Communities that are closer to the surface low may see an increased tornadic threat, but hail and damaging wind gusts appear to be the primary hazards.
Wichita, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; and Lincoln, Nebraska, are included in the heightened risk zone.
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The potent storm system is expected to continue to strengthen as it treks eastward across the Midwest on Sunday.
The SPC has highlighted communities from southern Wisconsin to Kentucky for seeing the highest risk of severe storms.
Forecasters warn all severe weather hazards will be possible, but damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall will be the primary concerns.
Chicago, Indianapolis and Cincinnati are all included in the heightened threat zone as storms work from west to east across the region.
“Unfortunately, the threat spans from the Ohio River all the way up through the Midwest. Chicago and Milwaukee are in the mix once again. From there, the severe weather risk with this disturbance slides into the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast,” said FOX Weather meteorologist Ian Oliver.
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Showers and thunderstorms are expected to push out of the Ohio Valley and into communities along the Appalachians and Northeast to start the workweek.
The severity of the storms will depend on timing and if enough daytime heating is present to aid in development.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts are considered to be the main threats.
Communities that are expected to see showers and thunderstorms include Cleveland; Pittsburgh; Charleston, West Virginia; and Rochester, New York.
Much of the storm system’s energy is expected to lift northeastward into Canada after Monday, leaving diminished chances of severe weather in the Northeast on Tuesday.