Severe Storm Outlook Narrative (AC)
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
160 ACUS02 KWNS 140458 SWODY2 SPC AC 140456 Day 2 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1156 PM CDT Sun Sep 13 2026 Valid 151200Z - 161200Z ...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN A CORRIDOR SOUTH/SOUTHWEST OF THE GREAT LAKES THROUGH PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS... ...SUMMARY... Scattered strong thunderstorms may impact a corridor south to southwest of the Great Lakes through the lower Missouri Valley Tuesday afternoon and evening, accompanied by at least some risk for locally damaging wind gusts. ...Discussion... Latest model output appears in better agreement concerning digging mid-level troughing along the Pacific coast through this period, downstream of a still notable mid-level high centered across the northern mid-latitude eastern Pacific. Coincident with this upstream amplification, initially prominent mid-level ridging centered over the Southeast is forecast to build northwestward across much of the northern Great Plains through Great Lakes region. As this occurs, a deamplifying short wave trough and associated surface cyclone are forecast to continue an east-northeastward migration across the remainder of northwestern Ontario through much of northern Quebec by late Tuesday night. It appears that a cold front trailing the cyclone will gradually overtake a preceding low-level baroclinic zone, reinforced by considerable ongoing convection and initially slowly advancing across and southeast of the southern Lower Michigan through southern Iowa and northern Kansas vicinity at 12Z Tuesday. A gradual southward progression into the Ohio Valley and across the lower Missouri Valley may proceed Tuesday into Tuesday night, beneath the building mid-level ridge. ...Southern Great Lakes through central Great Plains... Particularly from portions of the southern Great Lakes region into the lower Missouri Valley, it appears that the southward progression of the convective outflow reinforced boundary will be initially slow enough to allow for substantive destabilization in close proximity to the modest southern fringe of the westerlies. With surface dew points increasing to near 70 F, steepening low-level lapse rates with insolation may support the development of moderate mixed-layer CAPE on the order of 2000 J/kg. Although mid/upper heights may be tending to slowly rise, it appears that mid-level inhibition may remain weak enough to allow for the initiation of increasing, scattered thunderstorm development through the mid to late afternoon. Warm profiles, in general (if not a developing warm layer aloft), may tend to suppress large hail, but thermodynamic profiles characterized by steep lapse rates of potential wet-bulb temperature in lower/mid-levels could contribute to a few downbursts and developing cold pools with a few strong gusts into Tuesday evening. ..Kerr.. 09/14/2026 $$