Midwest, Ohio Valley to face bouts of violent storms into Monday

By Kyle Elliott, AccuWeather meteorologist

June 10, 2018, 2:21:38 PM EDT

While one storm system brings an outbreak of severe weather from southern Canada to the central United States into Monday, another will trigger a separate region of destructive storms in the Midwest and Ohio Valley.

On Saturday evening, a supercell thunderstorm moving from Winnebago into Worth and Cerro Gordo counties in northern Iowa produced a couple of reported tornadoes.

Sunday’s threat zone will shift farther to the south and east and include cities such as Chicago and Indianapolis.

It is not until later Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening that the strongest thunderstorms are forecast to erupt.

Because a swath from the Iowa/Illinois border through northern Indiana and central Ohio have received a general 1 to 3 inches of rainfall over the past week, any additional rainfall will make flash flooding an imminent threat.

“Storms into Sunday night will continue to bring heavy rainfall across the Interstate-80 corridor from eastern Iowa through Illinois and Indiana and along I-70 from central Ohio to central Indiana,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Edwards said.

Edwards added that a general 1-2 inches of rain should fall along this swath into Sunday night, with localized amounts up to 3 or 4 inches.

Because it will only take 1-2 inches of rain in a three-hour time period to trigger flash flooding along streams and creeks in these areas, flooding will be the most widespread concern into Sunday night.

Roadways can quickly become submerged when prolonged downpours repeatedly strike the same area.

Motorists who encounter flooded roadways should seek an alternative route and never attempt to drive through the water.

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It only takes 1 foot of water to float most vehicles, and 2 feet of moving water can sweep most vehicles away.

“In addition to the heavy rainfall, storms will also bring the threat for damaging wind gusts and hail,” Edwards said.

Sporadic power outages, as well as roof, tree and property damage, will all be possible in areas hit by the strongest storms.

“While the threat is low, there is still a chance of an isolated tornado from eastern Iowa into far western Illinois,” Edwards said.

All residents from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic should remain cognizant of the latest severe weather alerts into Monday and move indoors into an interior room or basement when severe weather strikes.

It may be tempting to capture footage of a tornado or a powerful thunderstorm, but standing near a door or window or even outside during a storm greatly increases the risk of injury from lightning or flying debris.

Although storms should subside later Sunday night, another round of severe weather is in store for parts of the Ohio Valley on Monday as the same storm system limps eastward.

While the threat for flash flooding will again be the primary concern, another bout of gusty winds and hail is on the table.

Portions of central Indiana, including Indianapolis, and eastern Illinois may lie within both Sunday’s and Monday’s risk areas. In addition, cities such as Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, will be targeted on Monday.

Motorists may face significant delays during Monday afternoons commute, and those delays can filter over into air travel as well.

Storms may even maintain their strength as they reach Louisville, Kentucky and Charleston, West Virginia, later on Monday night.

As this system continues to push eastward on Tuesday, a third round of strong storms will be possible in the central Appalachians and southern mid-Atlantic.