This week, a strong cold front is sweeping over the eastern part of the United States, bringing with it a range of dangerous weather, including severe thunderstorms, flooding rains, high winds, and a sharp temperature drop.
severe weather danger moved toward the Southeast
As of writing, no casualties or serious damage have been reported in southeastern Wisconsin.
According to PowerOutage.US, more than 23,000 consumers in the state were without power at one time, as per FOX News.
On Wednesday evening, a line of strong storms generated Tornado Warnings in and around Nashville.
No significant damage has been reported, although the potential of heavy thunderstorms will persist until the evening.
The second severe weather season occurs in the fall when cold air from Canada begins to flood south into the United States and collides with warmer, more humid air coming north from the Gulf of Mexico.
This is what the FOX Forecast Center predicted for the rest of the week.
On Wednesday afternoon and evening, severe thunderstorms are most likely throughout sections of the mid-South, notably in the red-shaded areas on the map below.
However, isolated severe storms as far north as Kentucky and southern Ohio and as far west as the Ark-La-Tex region are likely.
The greatest threats in these locations are damaging wind gusts and huge hail, while an occasional tornado cannot be fully ruled out.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee because of the danger.
The cold front will arrive in the eastern United States on Thursday, bringing a line of thunderstorms east of the Appalachians.
Heavy rain may threaten areas of the Southeast on Wednesday as tropical moisture pushes northward from the Gulf of Mexico.
From the central Gulf Coast to Georgia and South Carolina, one to two inches of rain is probable, with isolated amounts of up to three inches in a few areas.
However, flash flooding will be a problem by Thursday when the heavy rain moves to the Northeast, where moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic will combine and surge into the region ahead of the approaching cold front.
"It'll be a messy mess," Merwin said. "Thursday's nighttime commute will be chaotic."
A widespread region of one to three inches of rain is predicted in the Northeast, with locally higher amounts possible in northern New England, upstate New York, and northeastern Pennsylvania.
Scattered showers and storms Thursday afternoon
Higher moisture levels and increased cloudiness will aid to maintain recent nighttime temperatures, as per The Washington Post.
Expect mid-60s before sundown before dropping to the mid-50s to low 60s. Winds will be 5 to 10 mph out of the south.
From the morning on, there will be lots of clouds. The number of sunny intervals we get may influence how intense the afternoon and evening rains develop.
The biggest stormy weather window looks to be between 3 and 9 p.m. High temperatures will reach the low 70s before the showers and storms arrive. It's conceivable that a few storms will turn severe.
If this is the case, the biggest danger would be isolated destructive wind.
The levels of weed pollen and mold spores are low/moderate. Pollen from trees and grass is scarce.
On Thursday, the Storm Prediction Center issued a Level 1 of 5 "marginal risk" for storms, as well as a marginal risk for extreme rainfall.
Rainfall rates of an inch or more per hour may cause localized floods, particularly in metropolitan areas.
Related article: Severe Weather Warnings Issued for New Zealand Due to Heavy Rain and Snowfall