Strong Front Means Gusty Storms for St. Louis, Chicago
September 17, 2012; 8:44 PM
A clash of air masses will set the stage for some powerful thunderstorms later today across the Midwest.
Unfortunately, the storms could arrive just in time for the busy evening rush in cities such as St. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee.
The cold front that will be responsible for the severe weather threat was already producing some hefty thunderstorms across southern Minnesota and parts of Iowa this morning.
By the afternoon and early evening hours, a broken line of thunderstorms is expected to take shape and blast off to the east, impacting areas from Missouri into Illinois, western Indiana, eastern Wisconsin and western Michigan.
Brief, but potentially damaging wind gusts in excess of 50 mph will be the biggest threat faced from this line of storms. Winds this strong can easily bring down tree limbs, causing power outages.
The sudden blast of wind will be accompanied by rain in most areas, and possibly even some small hail.
Because of the strengthening nature of the parent storm system, individual thunderstorms could survive well after dark as they march farther east across the central Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions.
The threat for widespread severe weather, however, is expected to fade by midnight.
The cold front and storm system will join forces with a developing moist storm across the South tomorrow, elevating the risk for flooding and severe weather across the Eastern Seaboard on Tuesday.
In the wake of the storms and front, much cooler air will arrive across the Midwest, similar to the turn of events over the northern Plains on Sunday.
Temperatures well into the 70s and even low 80s today will be replaced by a chilly breeze and thermometer readings in the 50s and 60s through midweek.