Severe Thunderstorm and Flash Flood Risk from the Central Plains into the Midwest; Heat Wave Continues in the Southeast

Additional heavy rain and thunderstorms expected across the central West.

Forecast for Sunday, May 26, 2019

U.S. with upper level ridge across the Southeast and trough across the West...

Weather conditions will continue to remain quite unsettled across large portions of the nation and especially the central and western U.S. going into the beginning of the week, with additional heavy rain and severe thunderstorms expected. This is in response to a strong and rather anomalous upper level trough situated over the Intermountain West, while a strong deep layer ridge of high pressure remains anchored over the southeastern U.S.

The next organized surface low develops across the western High Plains on Monday and results in the next organized round of heavy showers and thunderstorms from Montana to the Midwest states. The axis of heaviest rainfall will be a bit farther north compared to previous days, and the areas of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri that have been hammered by flooding rains will have lighter rain through Tuesday. Rainfall totals on the order of 2 to 4 inches will be possible across parts of Wyoming, and 1 to 3 inches for parts of the Upper Midwest. Heavy snow is likely for the higher elevations of Colorado and Wyoming.

There will be a dichotomy of temperature anomalies across the U.S. through the beginning of the week. Expect readings to be below normal across the northern plains, and also for the Intermountain West and Desert Southwest. With the anomalous upper level low tracking across the Four Corners region by Monday night, temperatures will be rather pleasant across the normally hot lower elevations of the Desert Southwest, and quite cool across the higher elevations. Farther east across the Deep South and the Carolinas, record high temperatures will continue to be possible through Memorial Day, with highs soaring well into the 90s and lower 100s for some areas.

Hamrick/Orrison