Thunderstorms in forecast for Midwest, Texas; unseasonable cold in West: Weekend weather

Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY
·2 min read

Two sections of the U.S. will be under risk of severe thunderstorms over the weekend, a large swath of the U.S. will get a break from unseasonably cold and rainy weather, and the West will need to bundle up at an unusual time of year.

“We’re right in the heart of severe thunderstorm season now and the country as a whole,” said Bob Larson, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.

Here’s what you need to know about this weekend’s weather:

Severe thunderstorms in Midwest

Severe thunderstorms threaten the Midwest from St. Louis to Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday.

There will be “a standard risk of drenching downpours, damaging winds, hail and at least isolated tornadoes,” Larson said. “It doesn't seem to be a particularly large risk, but as I always say at all it takes is one well-placed thunderstorm or one tornado to spin up and hit the wrong place.”

Also Saturday, severe thunderstorms will threaten Texas from San Antonio to Dallas and up to Oklahoma City.

On Sunday, that threat will move toward Omaha, Nebraska and Kansas City to westernmost Illinois.

“And by the time we get to Monday that kind of dampens out a little bit and becomes less of a threat,” Larson said.

In this aerial, a road is covered by floodwater from the Mississippi River on May 3, 2023, in Albany, Illinois. According to the National Weather Service, the Mississippi River in the area is expected to remain at major flood stage into next week.
In this aerial, a road is covered by floodwater from the Mississippi River on May 3, 2023, in Albany, Illinois. According to the National Weather Service, the Mississippi River in the area is expected to remain at major flood stage into next week.

A nice little break for Great Lakes

Larson said that residents from the Great Lakes to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic who’ve been dealing with unusually cold and wet weather will get a break over the weekend.

Friday marked more than a week of unseasonable weather for the region but Saturday will bring warmer temperatures across the region.

It’ll be short-lived for at least the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, which can expect some showers on Sunday. “But by and large it will be a nice weekend,” Larson said.

Speaking of chilly weather

Out West, unseasonably cooler temperatures will last throughout the weekend, with some possible rainstorms Saturday from Northern California through Oregon and Washington.

Higher elevations like the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades will probably see some snow but it won’t be significant.

“It's not so much that the rain or the snow is a big deal, it’s the fact that temperatures are going to be running 10 to 15 degrees below average,” Larson said.

In Fresno, California, for example, he said it’ll be in the 60s. The average this time of year is close to 80 degrees.

US weather watches and warnings

National weather radar

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Today's forecast: Stormy weather in Midwest, Texas, more cold in West