Potent, locally damaging thunderstorms to hit multiple parts of US through Mother's Day
Thunderstorms that erupt and affect different portions of the central, southern and eastern United States will carry the risk of being severe into Saturday, AccuWeather meteorologists say. Next week, severe storms may mark an end to summerlike heat over the northern Plains.
A large zone where thunderstorms will be heavy to potentially severe into Thursday night is forecast from central Mississippi, northeastward to a large portion of West Virginia and Virginia. This includes areas that are still recovering following Hurricane Helene last hurricane season.
The main threat to lives and property from these storms will be high wind gusts, significant hail and flash flooding of urban areas and along small streams.
Lightning strikes can occur with little or no notice. There have already been two lightning-related fatalities in the U.S. in 2025, according to the National Lightning Safety Council.
Powerful wind gusts can break tree limbs and pose dangers to those passing beneath. Power surges and long-lasting power outages from the storms can result in financial losses.
Most of these thunderstorms will be most active from midafternoon to midevening. Airline passengers should expect significant delays at the main hubs of Atlanta and Charlotte, with ripple effects likely at the regional connecting flights into Thursday evening.Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
Farther to the southwest, a zone of more intense thunderstorms is forecast to affect the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico into Thursday evening.
"The storms in this sector will have the potential to produce powerful wind gusts by way of large, destructive downbursts," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. "Where the storms repeat, there can be dangerous flash flooding as well."
Some of the strongest thunderstorms in this Rio Grande Valley may also be capable of producing large hail and perhaps a few tornadoes.
By Friday, the severe weather threat will have ended over South Texas. However, the likelihood of at least heavy, gusty thunderstorms will extend along much of the southern Atlantic Seaboard during the afternoon and evening.
Storms capable of causing disruptive torrential downpours and gusty winds will extend from southeastern Virginia to much of the Florida Panhandle and the northeastern part of the Florida Peninsula.
There may also be a few heavy, gusty thunderstorms farther west to through the lower Mississippi Valley, the central Gulf coast and even a small part of the southern Plains.
Thunderstorm dangers to continue beyond Friday
Over the Mother's Day weekend, at the very least, locally heavy and gusty thunderstorms are expected on the southern and eastern flanks of a slow-moving area of low pressure over the Southern states. This zone may shrink to a small part of the southern Atlantic coast on Saturday but may expand more to the west and north on Sunday.
As this storm lifts slowly northeastward, robust thunderstorms are likely to continue, capable of causing disruptions and possibly damage in parts of the Southeastern states and the Northeast early next week.
Meanwhile, a slow-moving storm from the Pacific may begin to trigger severe thunderstorms over portions of the northern Rockies early next week then perhaps portions of the northern Plains and Upper Midwest later next week.
These thunderstorms would erupt near the boundary between summerlike air, then in place, and a push of much cooler air from the west.
"There certainly looks like a great deal of dynamics from the jet stream in place for the middle of next week, but moisture may be too limited for widespread severe weather," AccuWeather Expert Long-Range Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said. "However, if conditions change, then the scope of severe weather for the North Central states could increase."
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