While Americans look forward to Memorial Day weekend as a time for outdoor fun, barbecues, swimming and more, they’ll have to deal with wild weather from coast to coast this year.
“The relentlessly active spring weather pattern is set to continue through the holiday weekend as two separate systems are anticipated to be responsible for numerous showers and thunderstorms across the middle of the Nation,” said the National Weather Service Friday.
On Friday night, the service predicted heavy rain and severe thunderstorm chances extend from the Midwest to the Southern Plains. Another round of severe weather is then predicted to develop across the Central/Southern Plains Saturday evening. On Sunday, that pattern is then expected to shift into parts of the Mid-Mississippi/Ohio Valleys.
At the same time, “dangerous and potentially record-breaking heat,” is set to blanket South Texas, the Gulf Coast, and southern Florida through Memorial Day (Monday). Heat indices could get up to 120 degrees in the hottest areas.
As heat swelters in the South, a low-pressure system with a cold front will also sneak into the Upper Midwest, extending to the Southern Plains. This system “should maintain a focus for showers and thunderstorms to develop,” said the NWS. Storms could be severe in the Midwest and Southern Plains as it develops.
This same cold front could slow it’s forward momentum and allow for thunderstorms to potentially train over parts of, central-western Tennessee, southwestern Kentucky, northwestern Alabama, southern Arkansas, northwest Mississippi, northern Louisiana, and northeast Texas, leading to the threat of scattered flash flooding,” said the service. “Elsewhere, scattered thunderstorms may dampen outdoors plans throughout the Southeast and Tennessee Valley.”
For those who are still dedicated to their weekend plans, waterproof clothing and easy access to a safe indoor area should be key concerns in these areas.
“The next shortwave to eject out of the western U.S. and into the Great Plains is expected to spark another round of severe weather Saturday evening in the Central/Southern Plains,” said the National Weather Service. “At the surface, low pressure forming in the lee of the Central Rockies is forecast to lift a warm front northward into the Central Plains and Mid-Mississippi Valley, while a sharp dryline extends southward into the Southern Plains.”
These conditions will also contribute to a weekend risk of large hail, severe storms, tornadoes, intense rainfall and damaging wind. In fact, the Storm Prediction Center issued an Enhanced Risk (level 3/5) for severe thunderstorms across parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and western Missouri to stress the weather threats.
“As clusters of storms move eastward with the low-pressure system on Sunday, the flash flooding and severe weather will also shift into the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valleys,” said the National Weather Service. “Tornadoes, hail, strong winds, and flash flooding will all be possible. Residents and visitors located within the threat for severe weather this weekend are urged to have multiple ways of receiving warnings and to continue to check for the latest forecast.”
In addition to wild weather, there are other conditions that might put stress on Memorial Day celebrations. A record number of travelers are expected to fly this holiday weekend, and for those traveling on the road, gas prices spiked.