The Midwest is under the threat of severe weather Wednesday and Thursday, with millions of Americans bracing for severe thunderstorms that could produce large hail, damaging wind gusts and possible tornadoes.
Chicago is one of the cities that could be slammed with severe weather, and the threat comes just one day after the Windy City was deemed to have the worst air quality in the world. Air quality alerts have again been posted for more than 80 million Americans because of wildfire smoke filtering into the U.S. from Canada.
Millions of Americans across the Plains and Midwest will be at risk of severe thunderstorms on Wednesday.
However, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has highlighted two areas where the risk is rated at a level 2 out of 5 on the SPC’s thunderstorm risk scale.
The first area is centered across western Nebraska and southeastern Wyoming in the central High Plains. The second area is located in the Upper Midwest across portions of eastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
Thunderstorms that develop Wednesday will be capable of producing large hail, damaging wind gusts and possible tornadoes.
While most people in the severe thunderstorm risk area will be most at risk of seeing large hail and damaging wind gusts, areas of the High Plains and Upper Midwest could see an isolated tornado.
The isolated tornado threat will be found across portions of southeastern Wyoming and western Nebraska, as well as in eastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
HOW YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR A TORNADO
The severe weather threat on Thursday will again span across areas of the Plains and Midwest, but the highest risk will be found from northern Missouri and southern and eastern Iowa through Illinois, Indiana and north-central Kentucky.
Those areas have been placed under a level 2 out of 5 on the SPC’s thunderstorm risk scale.
Areas with a higher risk of severe weather on Thursday could see thunderstorms develop that can produce large hail, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes.
However, there is a higher risk of hail 2 inches or larger in diameter across portions of southeastern Iowa, northeastern Missouri and northern and central Illinois. Cities at risk include Chicago and Davenport, Iowa.
Tornadoes are also possible on Thursday. In the Plains, portions of southwestern South Dakota, western Nebraska, eastern Wyoming and northeastern Colorado could experience a tornado.