Tornado outbreak possible in the Midwest on Monday
Monday looks to be a dangerous weather day across a wide swath of the Midwest as a favorable setup for severe thunderstorms develops over the region.
“A tornado outbreak with the potential for strong to intense tornadoes is possible on Monday,” the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) said in its forecast on Saturday morning.
A low-pressure system lifting toward the international border will drag a slug of warm, unstable air across the Midwestern states, allowing widespread thunderstorms to bloom across the region.
Strong winds aloft will enable many of those storms to grow into supercells capable of producing damaging winds, large hail, and strong to intense tornadoes.
Forecasters with the SPC issued a moderate risk for severe weather—a level four out of five—for a large swath of Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, as well as western and central Wisconsin.
This moderate risk area includes the cities of St. Paul and Rochester, Minnesota; Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and La Crosse, Wisconsin.
The cities of Minneapolis and Madison are just outside the moderate risk area by a hair, but for all intents and purposes should consider themselves in the level four risk on Monday.
An enhanced risk for severe weather—a level three out of five—radiates out from there to stretch from the international border down through eastern Kansas. In fact, Monday’s threat for severe weather extends the length of the cold front from Canada to Mexico.
Severe Weather Safety
Plan in advance where you would go in the event a tornado warning is issued for your location. Mentally map out the safest part of your home, as well as where you’d duck for cover in commonly visited places like school, work, grocery stores, and while you’re in your vehicle.
Ensure you have a way to receive severe weather warnings the moment they’re issued. Please remember that tornado sirens are not reliable and they’re not meant to be heard indoors.
Check your phone now and ensure that emergency alerts are enabled for tornado warnings. These free push alerts are a lifesaving defense against dangerous thunderstorms. The system triangulates your location based on your cell signal to determine if you’re in a tornado warning. It works, and it’s saved countless lives over the past decade.
Always have a backup when it comes to receiving severe weather alerts. NOAA Weather Radios are like smoke detectors for the weather. You can program these devices to sound a loud alarm the moment your county is included in a watch or warning—even when the power’s out and they’re running on batteries.
The NWS Is at Risk
The forecasts referenced in this article were issued by the National Weather Service, a critical federal agency that’s likely responsible for directly saving more lives than just about any other office in the government. The National Weather Service costs $3 per year per taxpayer.
Free and instant lifesaving warnings, Doppler radar data, satellite imagery, computer models, and realtime observations would likely vanish if this agency were gutted. We’ve already seen a loss of products and experienced forecasters as a result of ongoing cuts, firings, and hiring freezes.
Please contact your representatives to urge lawmakers to save NOAA and the National Weather Service from irreparable damage.
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