(Valley) — After a brief skirmish earlier this week, severe weather is poised for a return to KMAland the next few days.
National Weather Service officials say thunderstorm activity is expected in the region as early as this (Wednesday) evening, with a greater potential on Thursday. Michaela Wood is meteorologist with the weather service’s Valley, Nebraska office.
“This evening, Wednesday evening, we’ll have a similar complex of thunderstorms moving through, though the severe potential is pretty low,” said Wood. “But, probably a good downpour coming down with that, and another round of that coming with the Thursday night storms. So, we could be looking at a good amount of rainfall.”
Most of southwest Iowa, southeast Nebraska and northwest Missouri is under a marginal risk for severe storms Thursday evening into the overnight hours.
“It’s a pretty coming type of storm system we see this time of year,” said Wood, “where we get more of this, like, clusters of thunderstorms,. like a large complex pushing through. Thunderstorms will develop well to our west–kind of the central part of the state, then push toward the area in the evening, then reaching kind of that southeast Nebraska-southwest Iowa area.”
Wood says wind gusts, hail and heavy rains are the main threat with the severe storms–with a small chance of tornadoes.
“Some winds are going to be the main concern,” said Wood, “but we could get some hail out of it, as well. Then, we other thing we have an eye on is heavy rainfall, maybe some localized flooding concerns, because once that initial round of thunderstorms does push through, we’ll probably see a couple more rounds overnight. Now, that severe potential will kind of weaken through the overnight period. But, getting several rounds of thunderstorms overnight could lead to flash flooding concerns. So, some things to keep an eye on.”
More rain is expected most of Friday. However, Wood says precipitation amounts aren’t expected to help the area’s continuing drought conditions.
