Severe weather to continue to threaten central US early this week

By Faith Eherts, AccuWeather meteorologist

June 24, 2018, 6:25:10 PM EDT

Severe weather is expected to continue to pester the Plains for the next few days, threatening millions with flooding downpours, damaging winds, hail and even a few tornadoes.

Strong, gusty storms have sparked over the Plains each night this past weekend, producing wind gusts as high as 75 mph and large damaging hail.

Residents will need to continue to stay on guard as this volatile weather pattern sticks around for another few days.

On Sunday, a section of the country encompassing much of Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma, as well as parts of Colorado, Missouri and Texas, will be the focus for rounds of severe storms. Any storms will be capable of producing widespread damaging winds, large hail, flash flooding and even a tornado.

Travel delays are likely to ensue, including airline delays in Oklahoma City and Kansas City, due to visibility reducing rain, potential flooding and frequent lightning.

As the system responsible for this unsettled weather sweeps eastward on Monday, the threat for severe weather will spread into the Midwest.

"Scattered severe storms will redevelop Monday afternoon in far eastern portions of the central Plains into portions of the Upper Midwest and move into the Ozarks, toward the middle Mississippi Valley and are expected to diminish in strength by early Tuesday morning," Knopick said.

Several other hubs could face destructive weather and significant delays in addition to Oklahoma City and Kansas City, including Des Moines and St. Louis.

While storms are expected to be less widespread than those on Sunday, any locations impacted by storms could face significant impacts.

"Isolated tornadoes will occur, especially when storms initially develop during the late afternoon and evening," AccuWeather Storm Warning Meteorologist Brian Knopick warned.

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"Damaging wind gusts in excess of 65 mph, large hail and flash flooding are also possible. Flooding and wind will be the primary hazards overnight," he said.

According to Knopick, similar threats are possible in storms that are expected to form on Tuesday as well.

"Scattered severe storms will redevelop Tuesday afternoon from the Ozarks into western portions of the Great Lakes and progress slowly eastward overnight," Knopick said.

It will be important for residents and anyone traveling through the area to remain up to date on local watches and warnings, and to take shelter at the first sign of threatening weather.

Due to the threat of overnight thunderstorms, it will also be imperative that residents keep a weather radio or a charged phone nearby overnight with weather alerts enabled. Anyone traveling at night will need to stay weather aware and seek shelter in a sturdy structure during any threatening weather.