Severe Thunderstorms and Critical Fire Weather Conditions Expected in Multiple US Regions on Friday

Severe thunderstorms and critical fire weather conditions have been forecasted to affect the US regions of the Northeast and Great Plains on Friday, March 25.

The weather events are considered to be life-threatening and pose the risks of causing widespread disruption to travel and infrastructure.

Thunderstorms and Fire Weather

The National Weather Service (NWS) - Weather Prediction Center (WPC) issued its latest weather forecast that is valid until Sunday, March 27.

Based on the weather alert, multiple weather events will occur in the said US regions.

A low-pressure system from the Mid-Atlantic coast is expected to hit New York, New England, and Maine on Friday.

The system is likely to bring severe thunderstorms with winter weather conditions due to mixed precipitation.

In northern Maine, minor ice accumulation is also possible.

Meanwhile, critical fire weather conditions are expected in some parts of the northern and central Great Plains on Friday.

The NWS - WPC issued fire weather watches and red flag warnings to some areas of Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota since any fire may spread rapidly.

Cold Front

In addition to the system affecting the Northeast, a wave of cold fronts will move from the Midwest all the way to the East, which could bring rain and snow showers over the weekend.

A weather disturbance from the front will also dive to the Ohio Valley and the southern Great Lakes region, as per NWS - WPC.

On Saturday, March 26, temperatures can be 10 to 20 degrees Celsius lower than normal across the said region.

Extreme cold temperatures can cause significant snow accumulation in the central Appalachian Mountains and southern Michigan.

Hazards from the Current Weather Forecast

Tornadoes from thunderstorms and wildfires from the fire weather are the main hazards under the current weather forecast in the US.

Thunderstorms in the US have often resulted in the formation of tornadoes, and this has been evident over recent weeks, including in the states of Iowa and Texas, as well as Louisiana-wherein the latest tornado outbreak killed one person in New Orleans, as per The New York Times.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), there are approximately 16 million thunderstorms worldwide, and there are around 100,000 thunderstorms across the US each year.

The NOAA - NSSL added that 10% becomes severe thunderstorms in the US.

A thunderstorm is a natural phenomenon consisting of rain showers associated with the sound of thunder coming from lightning.

This means that all thunderstorms have lightning within them, as per the US storm agency.

On the other hand, wildfires have a high tendency to spread faster under critical fire weather conditions.

According to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, drought, low relative humidity, strong surface wind, and unstable air are the four critical weather elements and the basis of fire weather.

This entails that under such conditions, the elements will favor the formation and spread of fire due to certain aggravating geological and climatical ingredients.

This is also evident as climate change and global warming have greatly contributed to the increased risk of wildfires in the US.