Enhanced Severe-Weather Risk Threatens Midwest and Great Lakes

Repeated storm rounds over already saturated ground raise the chance of very large hail, damaging wind gusts and rapid flash flooding across populated areas.

Overview

The Storm Prediction Center on Thursday placed parts of Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Missouri at an enhanced (level 3 of 5) risk for severe storms that could continue into early Friday.
Forecasters warn storms may produce very large hail, isolated strong tornadoes and wind gusts of about 70–75 mph that can snap trees and down power lines.
Earlier storms this week generated nearly 1,000 reports of hail, damaging winds and tornadoes and left hundreds of thousands without power while disrupting more than 1,000 flights around Chicago.
The National Weather Service also issued a slight risk of excessive rainfall for parts of the Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes because heavy rain rates up to about 2 inches per hour on saturated soils could cause sudden urban and small-stream flooding.
The National Hurricane Center is separately tracking a broad low over northern Central America and southern Mexico expected to drop 6–8 inches of rain in northern Belize and southern Quintana Roo over 48 hours, raising local flood concerns.