Storms to Hit the Great Plains and Midwest, Bringing Hail and Tornadoes

Millions of people in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest are preparing for a dangerous weather event that began on Sunday and will continue into Tuesday. A powerful upper‑level system from the Southwest is colliding with a surge of hot, humid air across the middle United States. This mix creates a volatile atmosphere that can spark intense thunderstorms, including rotating supercells capable of producing long‑track tornadoes. The threat is strongest in central Kansas, southeastern Nebraska, southwestern Iowa and northwestern Missouri, where temperatures are warm enough to fuel the storms. By Monday afternoon, a cold front and dry line will lift the “lid” on the atmosphere, allowing storms to grow rapidly.These storms may produce hail as large as baseballs or softballs, and the rotating cells can generate violent tornadoes. The hazardous conditions are expected to linger through the night, affecting at least a dozen states with heavy rain and strong winds. On Tuesday, the danger spreads into the Ohio Valley under a lower level of threat. Rainfall will reach 1–2 inches from northern Minnesota to northeast Texas, raising the risk of flash flooding as the storms move eastward. The severe weather chain will wrap up by the end of Tuesday, before a wet period returns for people heading into Memorial Day weekend. The situation remains fluid; residents should stay alert to updates from local weather services and prepare for possible tornadoes, hail, and flooding.