Drenching, severe storms to rumble over central US

While soaking, daily thunderstorms will be the theme this week across parts of the West and Plains, AccuWeather forecasters highlight the risk for storms to bring severe impacts.

A moisture-filled pattern will fuel robust thunderstorms throughout the first half of the week across parts of the Rocky Mountains and central United States, AccuWeather meteorologists say.

High pressure will remain centered over the South Central states over the next several days, expanding to cover more of the Gulf Coast states into midweek. While this feature will help keep parts of central Texas and Louisiana mainly dry through Monday, storms will be capable of organizing along the northern periphery for a multi-day stretch.

"A 'rinse and repeat' pattern is in store along the Front Range and central Plains through at least the middle of the week as monsoon moisture spills over the mountains during the afternoon and evening hours. Similar to what has been observed late this past week, showers and thunderstorms that track east of the mountains late in the day can congeal into clusters of rain and thunderstorms as they track eastward through the Plains during the overnight hours," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.

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Areas of the West from Montana and Idaho to Colorado will be the areas to see the most consistent storm activity. While a severe weather outbreak is not expected, there will be enough moisture to produce disruptive thunderstorms.

Rain may prove beneficial for drought-stricken locations

Midday and afternoon showers and thunderstorms that ignite over the upcoming days will be capable of producing pockets of intense rainfall that can result in flash flooding. Sensitive spots, such as burn scar locations and areas featuring steep terrain, can be the most susceptible to washouts and rockslides when combined with notable rainfall rates in storms.

There are still many locations from Montana to Oklahoma that are facing levels of moderate to severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Any additional rainfall may prove beneficial for the dry soils in this sector of the country, although it may come at the risk of other unfavorable impacts.

"The multiple rounds of rain and thunderstorms that are expected will also help to alleviate drought concerns, especially across portions of eastern Wyoming, western South Dakota, western Nebraska and Kansas where moderate to severe drought is currently in place," reiterated Buckingham.

Risk for disruptive, severe thunderstorms

On Monday, a corridor from eastern Wyoming and eastern Colorado to western Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota will face some risk for severe thunderstorms as energy pulses out of the Rockies.

Buckingham pointed out that thunderstorms will have the potential to turn severe just east of the Rocky Mountains, known as the Front Range, and portions of the Plains through early week, with hail, flash flooding and damaging wind gusts being the main concerns.

Conditions along the Front Range can trend slightly cooler on Monday before a gradual warming trend occurs into midweek. Locations like Cheyenne, Wyoming, Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado are projected to have high temperatures dip between 6-10 degrees Fahrenheit compared to Sunday values.

"A wide array of temperature ranges are expected between the Front Range and Plains over the upcoming week, with places like Denver expected to see temperatures in the 80s and 90s F. Farther east in North Platte, Nebraska, temperatures in the 70s will be more common," stated Buckingham.

Forecasters are highlighting the risk for thunderstorms along the Front Range once again on Tuesday afternoon.

While the primary threats within storms on Tuesday will be flooding downpours and localized damaging winds, the risk for small hail will still be on the table. Wind gusts can reach speeds of 55-65 miles per hour from southeast Montana to far northwest Kansas with the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 75 mph.

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