Fire danger in Southwest as summer warmth on the way for Northeast
There were over 140 reports of severe weather on Saturday across northern Florida, most of Alabama and parts of Georgia.
This included five reported tornadoes and a 76 mph wind gust that was reported at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The reports also included up to tennis ball-sized hail.
On Sunday morning, the severe threat has come to an end and part of that storm system is bringing heavy rain to the Northeast early this morning.
Heavy rain will continue to impact the Northeast through the morning hours and some pockets of flooding could develop.
However, the rain is expected to come to an end by mid-day and no further severe weather is expected in South and East today.
Attention now turns to the Western U.S. where a few different frontal systems are bringing some unsettled weather in the next few days.
Mountain snow is expected across the higher elevations from California to Colorado and the spring mountain snow is definitely welcome across the region as much of the western U.S. is dealing with some level of drought.
When some of this unsettled weather moves into the Central U.S. on Tuesday, the next round of severe storms will begin.
Severe storms, including the risk for tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail will develop from Texas to Kansas.
As we get towards the end of April and into May, climatologically, the number of severe threats are expected to increase.
In addition, frontal systems moving through the Western U.S. over the next few days will stir up some gusty dry winds across much of the southwest U.S.
Fire Weather Alerts have been issued from Nevada to Nebraska and wind gusts could reach 50 mph as humidity could be as low as 8%.
Temperatures will remain a few degrees above average across this region and then some of this heat will move into the Central and Eastern U.S. this week.
By the middle of the week, the warmest air so far this year is expected in parts of the Northeast with temperatures in the mid 80’s expected in New York City and Philadelphia.
