Chicago, Indianapolis among Midwest cities in bull’s-eye for dangerous severe weather this week
May is typically bustling with severe weather, including nearly 300 tornadoes on average for the month, after both March and April saw well above-average tornado reports.
Severe weather threat increasing this week in Midwest, Ohio Valley
Millions of people in the Midwest and Ohio Valley are likely to see increasing chances of severe weather this week. FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar breaks down the latest on Sunday, May 11.
CHICAGO – Millions of people in the Midwest and Ohio Valley are likely to see increasing chances of severe weather this week after portions of the U.S. were rocked by weeks of deadly storms and flooding.
There’s been an eerie lull in severe weather over portions of the country recently, especially in the central U.S.
This graphic shows the average number of tornadoes by month between 1991-2020.
(FOX Weather)
It’s also unusual because May is typically bustling with severe weather, including nearly 300 tornadoes on average for the month, after both March and April saw well above-average tornado reports.
Changes are coming, however, to cities like Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis in the coming days.
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![This graphic shows the forecast high temperatures in the Plains, Midwest on Monday, May 12, 2025.]()
Image 1 of 2This graphic shows the forecast high temperatures in the Plains and Midwest on Monday, May 12, 2025. (FOX Weather)
![This graphic shows the forecast high temperatures in Texas on Tuesday, May 13, Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15, 2025.]()
Image 2 of 2This graphic shows the forecast high temperatures in Texas on Tuesday, May 13, Wednesday, May 14, and Thursday, May 15, 2025. (FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center said that an area of low pressure, part of an Omega block that has been dominating the weather headlines recently, is finally expected to move out of the area or dissipate, allowing weather systems to once again move from west to east across the country.
As a result, an area of high pressure is forecast to move over the central U.S., allowing for some summerlike, potentially record-breaking heat to build from the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas to the U.S.-Canada border in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest.
SEE IT: LARGE WATERSPOUT SPOTTED ROARING ASHORE ALONG FLORIDA COAST
(FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center will be monitoring the potential for severe weather starting on Wednesday.
However, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has issued an early severe weather outlook for Thursday, placing nearly 30 million people in a Level 2 threat on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale.
This threat zone includes cities like Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Milwaukee.