Tornadoes, Giant Hail, and Damaging Winds Set to Rip Through the Upper Midwest Today

A classic springtime storm setup could unleash dangerous weather across the Upper Midwest today, including damaging tornadoes, large hail, and strong winds, according to forecasters at the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC). The SPC has issued a Moderate Risk—its second-highest threat level—for parts of southern Minnesota, northern Iowa, and western Wisconsin. Thunderstorms are expected to fire up in the late afternoon and continue into the evening, bringing with them all the ingredients for a regional severe weather outbreak. “The most dangerous period is likely during the late afternoon and evening,” the SPC warned in its latest forecast, “when strong tornado potential should be maximized.” Warm, moist air is surging northward ahead of a sharp dryline—the boundary between moist and drier area along which storms form. An incoming jet streak—fast winds high in the atmosphere—will supercharge developing storms. The greatest risk for severe storms is in the Upper ... Read full article.