Severe storms to rumble across north-central US into Thursday night

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

The latest round of severe thunderstorms for the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, as well as adjacent areas of Canada, is in store into Friday.

The greatest threats from the storms will be straight-line wind gusts to 70 mph, flash flooding and hail.

However, as is the case with severe thunderstorms, there is almost always the potential for a tornado to be spawned.

Locally severe storms affected the Rapid City, South Dakota, area at midweek.

"On Thursday, the severe thunderstorm risk is likely to become more extensive," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski. 

The area at risk during Thursday afternoon and night will extend from the eastern parts of the Dakotas to much of western and central Minnesota and parts of western Ontario and southeastern Manitoba.

RELATED: 
7 lightning safety tips if you’re caught outside during a thunderstorm 
The difference between tornado watches and warnings 
There’s a crucial week setting up for US farmers, AccuWeather predicts 
Fall-like air to threaten record lows from early 1900s in parts of southern US

Cities at risk for severe weather on Thursday include Valentine, Nebraska; Sioux Falls and Huron, South Dakota; Fargo and Grand Forks, North Dakota; International Falls and St. Cloud, Minnesota; and Kenora, Ontario.

On Friday, the potential for locally severe thunderstorms will continueto migrate eastward.

Heavy, gusty and perhaps a few damaging storms may occur in central and southeastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Download the free AccuWeather app for more details on when storms may affect your community. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.