Rare moderate risk – level 4 of 5 – for severe storms in Minnesota, Wisconsin
A significant severe weather event could unfold in northern/eastern Minnesota and much of Wisconsin Wednesday afternoon as the National Weather Service has placed a portion of the region in a moderate risk for severe storms.
There are five levels on the severe scale and moderate is the fourth highest. Do note that this outlook is from around 1 a.m., and the weather service will update it again around 8 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., so check back for updates.
NWS
"An outbreak of severe thunderstorms will occur later today. Storms will develop this afternoon across northern Minnesota, become a line and accelerate southeastward across Wisconsin during the evening," says the NWS Twin Cities.
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"Widespread wind damage, very large hail, and a few tornadoes are expected with the line of storms. Have a way to receive warnings and be prepared to seek shelter quickly with these fast moving storms."
It's possible that the line of storms lasts long enough to be classified as a derecho, which is essentially a long-lived line of damaging storms with hurricane-force winds.
Here's where widespread damaging winds, with gusts in excess of 75 mph, are possible.
Here's where large to very large hail – the size of baseballs – are possible.
Here's where tornadoes are possible.
The track of the severe line of storms still isn't certain. According to the National Weather Service, if cloud cover lingers into the afternoon and temperatures don't get as hot as forecast in eastern Minnesota (forecast high in the Twin Cities is 98), it could lead to a "slightly more westerly track," which would potentially put more of Minnesota under-the-gun.
We'll have updates with meteorologist Sven Sundgaard and Novak Weather throughout the day, including the potential for Sven to go live on YouTube and Facebook.
