Severe Thunderstorms and Heavy Rain in the Mississippi Valley; Critical Fire Weather in the Southern Plains

Severe thunderstorms will persist tonight across the Middle Mississippi Valley, producing damaging winds, large to very large hail and several tornadoes. Low humidity and windy conditions will continue to produce elevated to critical fire weather conditions across the southern High Plains into midweek. Read More >

Volunteer Precipitation Observers Needed

Risk for Damaging Wind Gusts Today/Tonight

Precipitation reports from volunteers are used daily to assess the quality of precipitation forecasts but also to help improve both weather and hydrologic forecasts. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) consists of volunteers who measure rainfall once each morning using a simple, manual plastic gauge and who also take snow measurements in the winter. These volunteers have measured anywhere from 6"-10" of rain this month in southern Michigan, with higher amounts further north. One volunteer near Wellston has recorded 13.74" of rain so far.

Scattered damaging wind gusts may occur particularly in the 4pm-8pm time frame as showers and a few thunderstorms move through. While the radar likely won't look impressive this afternoon and evening, strong wind gusts may develop as showers/storms end, which is a fairly unusual phenomenon. Some wind gusts may exceed 50 mph on the back edge of rain. Later tonight after 8pm, the severe weather risk does not look great, but isolated/localized damaging wind gusts could occur if thunderstorms manage to develop.

Severe Thunderstorms and Heavy Rain in the Mississippi Valley; Critical Fire Weather in the Southern Plains

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