The Storm Prediction Center is forecasting multiple rounds of severe weather across the Midwest starting Tuesday, with each day bringing a chance of tornadoes, hail and strong winds.
On Tuesday, nearly 125 million Americans face some risk of severe weather, with more than 24 million under an enhanced risk. Areas facing the highest threat include Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit and Oklahoma City.
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The center said those cities could potentially experience strong tornadoes Tuesday, among other hazards. Forecasters are most concerned about “supercell” thunderstorms developing ahead of clusters of storms. These isolated storms carry the greatest potential to produce a violent tornado.
Warm temperatures are fueling the system. The National Weather Service expects Detroit to reach 81 degrees Tuesday — more than 20 degrees above the normal high of 58.
The severe weather threat is expected to linger through Saturday as a cold front moves across the region. Behind it, temperatures on Sunday are forecast to return to seasonal levels, ending the premature preview of summer for much of the Midwest.
February and March produced above-average tornadic activity in the United States. There were 52 tornado reports in February, slightly above average for the month, and 202 in March — more than double the average.
Although March was active, no tornadoes reached EF4 or EF5 status. The deadliest tornado of the year so far struck March 6 in Union City, Michigan, when an EF3 storm killed three people.
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