Late-week severe weather risk to extend from Texas to New York state, perhaps Maine

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

April 30, 2018, 3:00:43 PM EDT

Following multiple days of severe weather over the central United States into Wednesday night, the threat of severe thunderstorms will continue in Texas and may extend into New England.

A press of cool air across the North Central states will allow the zone of severe weather to push eastward across parts of the middle Mississippi and Ohio valleys as well as the lower Great Lakes region.

As will be the case on most days through Wednesday, the storm potential on Thursday is likely to cover the spectrum of severe weather ranging from damaging winds and large hail to flash flooding, frequent lightning strikes and a few tornadoes.

Cities at risk for severe thunderstorms from Thursday afternoon to Thursday night will include Buffalo, New York, Detroit, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Chicago and Peoria, Illinois; St. Louis, Springfield and Kansas City, Missouri; Fort Smith and Little Rock, Arkansas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Dallas.

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Commuters and airline passengers in these areas and others in the expected swath of thunderstorms should anticipate delays. People spending time outdoors should keep an eye out for rapidly changing weather conditions and move indoors at the first sign of a storm.

"During Thursday afternoon and evening, the greatest threat for a few isolated tornadoes may extend from northeastern Texas to southern Missouri," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis.

The risk of heavy, gusty and locally severe thunderstorms will exist on Friday as well.

Friday's potential for strong to severe thunderstorms is likely to extend from parts of the Ohio and Tennessee valleys to the central Appalachians and New England.

The risk may extend as far to the north as Maine on Friday afternoon and evening.

The press of cool air forecast to settle over the North Central states at midweek will expand slowly southward and eastward this weekend to end the severe weather potential from the southern Plains, Midwest and Northeast.

However, the risk of heavy, gusty thunderstorms at minimum will finally reach the southern Appalachians and Piedmont areas on Saturday.

Warmth may try to hold its ground in the Southeast this weekend, so the advance of thunderstorms may be a slow process in the region.