Massive storm system threatens 26 million as it moves East across multiple states this weekend
This transition is expected to begin Saturday and continue into Sunday as a cold front associated with an area of low pressure moves in.
Severe storm threat pushes eastward into the Ohio Valley to kick off the weekend
Heading into Saturday, the same system bringing severe storms to the central U.S. will shift eastward, allowing storms to develop across the Ohio Valley and portions of the Northeast. The system will then push through the Northeast and the Carolinas into Sunday, bringing rain along with the potential for strong to severe storms.
The dangerous severe storms impacting the central U.S. over the past week are expected to shift eastward, allowing new storms to develop across the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes and portions of the Northeast.
At least 26 million people will be in the path of this massive storm system.
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This transition is expected to begin Saturday and continue into Sunday as a cold front associated with an area of low pressure moves in.
A strong southwesterly flow will also transport deep atmospheric moisture into the region.
A damaged home in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. (Buffalo County Wisconsin Sheriff's Office / FOX Weather)
Saturday will start with a few lingering storms from Friday night’s severe weather event. However, once those move through, daytime heating will take over, with temperatures climbing into the 70s and 80s.
This will increase atmospheric instability and help fuel additional severe storm development as warm temperatures and the cold front interact.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, strong storm cells and lines of storms are expected to move through, producing damaging winds and hail.
The NOAA Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 2 out of 5 severe weather risk from Charleston, WV, through Columbus, OH, to Pittsburgh and north into Erie, PA. Damaging winds are expected to be the primary threat from this system.
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Storms are forecast to gradually weaken during the evening as they push into central Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region.
By Sunday, the storm system will extend from northern New England into the Southeast.
A few isolated severe storms will be possible across the Carolinas. Otherwise, widespread rain is expected, including in Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, NC. The rain will begin around noon and start to ease by early evening.
Overnight, the cold front will move offshore, bringing a noticeable drop in temperatures.