By Renee Duff, AccuWeather meteorologist
People with outdoor plans in the midwestern United States will need to keep a close eye to the sky as rounds of thunderstorms rumble this weekend.
The storms have the potential to turn locally damaging in some communities.
During the first half of the weekend, there will be two main zones where storms can become feisty.
One zone will stretch from the Lower Peninsula of Michigan through southern Wisconsin and into northeastern Iowa.
Chicago's northern suburbs could be affected by heavy showers and thunderstorms late Saturday afternoon and evening, but the most intense storms should fall short of reaching downtown.
The second zone will threaten areas from eastern Wyoming to western Nebraska and a sizable portion of South Dakota.
While locally damaging winds and hail can occur in any of the storms within these two areas, frequent lightning strikes and downpours will be more common.
A cluster of rain and thunderstorms may be ongoing in eastern South Dakota on Sunday morning before it spreads eastward through Minnesota, Wisconsin and a portion of Iowa and Nebraska.
Residents with outdoor plans in Minneapolis; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Sioux City and Mason City, Iowa; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Omaha, Nebraska, should be ready to take cover indoors at the first rumble of thunder.
The wet weather can lead to slowdowns and times of reduced visibility on interstates 29, 35, 80, 90 and 94.
Motorists are reminded to lower speeds on the highway in a downpour to reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
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Similar to Saturday, a small number of the storms at the end of the weekend can turn locally damaging with strong winds and hail.
As the storms march farther east early next week, the Midwestern states will enjoy a refreshing cooldown as drier air moves in.
Download the free AccuWeather app to receive severe weather watches and warnings for your area as soon as they are issued. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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