Severe thunderstorms to rattle Plains, Midwest

After rumbling over the Rockies to start the week, severe weather will advance across the Plains and then the Midwest as the week progresses.

Following localized severe weather over portions of the Rockies into Tuesday night, AccuWeather meteorologists say the main threat of severe thunderstorms will shift eastward across the Great Plains at midweek and then more of the Midwest Thursday.

"The coverage of thunderstorms that erupt over the Rockies from Montana to Colorado, as well as the adjacent northern and central High Plains into Tuesday night will be widely separated," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said, "However, about 10 percent of the storms that erupt will bring damaging wind gusts, large hail and torrential downpours that could trigger flash flooding."

Meanwhile, a leftover complex of thunderstorms that erupted over the central Rockies and High Plains from Sunday will continue on into portions of Missouri and Arkansas into Tuesday evening. These storms will pack gusty winds and torrential downpours. Some tree damage, sporadic power outages and flash flooding can occur in this zone.

As the large storm responsible for the severe weather over the Rockies pushes eastward at midweek, severe weather will erupt in a more general configuration over the Great Plains. A cold front will begin to take shape and will become the main focusing point for severe thunderstorms.

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As the storms cross the major highways or approach the major airport hubs, significant travel disruptions can occur.

From Wednesday to Wednesday night, the risk of severe thunderstorms will be along an 800-mile-long swath from part of the Red River Valley of the North to the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles. Some severe storms will also extend farther to the east along a surge of warm and more humid air across much of Iowa, northern Missouri and western Illinois.

Along with the likelihood of some of the storms producing damaging wind gusts, large hail and flooding downpours, there may also be a few tornadoes. Kansas City, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; Wichita, Kansas; and Des Moines, Iowa, are among the major cities at risk for severe weather Wednesday.

On Thursday, the cold front will continue to press eastward and will cross the upper and middle portion of the Mississippi River. Severe thunderstorms are forecast to erupt from Wisconsin to central Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma.

Within this zone are the major cities of Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, and later Thursday evening in Indianapolis and perhaps Little Rock, Arkansas.

The most potent thunderstorms will carry the same severe weather risks as from Wednesday, with strong wind gusts, hail and flash flooding being the main threats. And once again, some of the strongest storms may set off a tornado.

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