It's the season of "regional-scale convective systems," or massive, typically severe, long-lived rainstorm systems, as the summer heat builds.
For those in the central United States, this means daily possibilities of heavy rain, strong to locally devastating winds, and maybe hail and cyclones.
Rainfall in Central US
BRUNO FAHY/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images
Such phenomena can cause flash floods since they may span a whole state.
It's impossible to predict where these systems will emerge, decay, and renew, as well as their strength, as per The Washington Post.
Because of the possibility of these systems, the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has issued an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms across the central states every day through Friday.
Large sections of the central United States are also in an increased risk zone for extreme rainfall through at least Wednesday, according to the Weather Service.
As a squall line develops, thunderstorm downdrafts combine to form a single outflow boundary or the leading edge of cool-air exhaust escaping the storms.
On Monday morning, a fading mesoscale conical thunderstorm delivered rain and thunder to central Missouri, but noon warmth is expected to bring it back over the Tennessee Valley.
Increasing instability, or storm fuel, in the aftermath of the MCS might favor a few supercells or rotating tornadoes with a low-end tornado, hail, and wind danger.
For sections of the Tennessee Valley, including Evansville, Indiana, Nashville, and Jackson, Tennessee, a Level 2 out of 5 small danger of severe thunderstorms is in effect.
From Detroit to Little Rock, there is a lower marginal risk.
A large portion of the High Plains is likewise in a low-risk zone.
The squall takes energy from the upper-level jet stream, which is normally traveling parallel to, or to the right, of the upper-level winds and transmits it to the surface as devastating wind gusts.
The strong winds drive the center of the rainstorm complex outside, making the entire line form a backward-C shape.
An MCS is often accompanied by broad winds of 60 to 80 mph, as well as a lot of lightning.
As the low-level jet stream, which helps feed the thunderstorms, diminishes, most MCSs rage all night long before dying before daybreak.
The extreme hot weather will build through the week, peaking in potentially fatal temperatures in the severe drought West on Friday, as per CNN.
Temperatures will surge beyond 100 degrees in numerous regions, setting or exceeding records.
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Phoenix advised people to stay inside.
It'll be hotter than any other time this year, according to Chris Kuhlman of CNN Weather as there will be another 10 degrees to the mix, so it's going to be scorching.
Heat waves have become such a problem in California that new legislation was filed earlier this year with the goal of minimizing heat-related mortality by categorizing and naming heat waves similarly to hurricanes.
The NWS is also contemplating classifying heat waves and is testing an experimental product to predict how people will react to the heat.
