Unseasonable heat is setting the stage for damaging thunderstorms capable of bringing strong winds, large hail and tornadoes to about 175 million people in the central and eastern United States on Sunday and Monday.
March has already seen several strong storms and has reported more tornadoes than the same time last year. A deadly storm hit the same area two weeks ago that could end up in the path of another round of thunderstorms. While this weekend’s forecast doesn’t look as extreme, the danger could quickly escalate and millions more people could be affected.
A widespread storm and strong cold front will begin to be felt from the Plains to the East Coast by the weekend in late May or early June before developing across the central U.S. and the rest of the East.
Strong, long-lived tornadoes possible Sunday
A cold front stretching from the Midwest to the southern Plains on Sunday will wipe out the late-spring-like warmth that has built up over the eastern half of the country. The cold air behind this front will collide with the warm, moist air ahead, and explosive thunderstorms will form where the two air masses meet.
More than 25 million people are under a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms on Sunday, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Nashville, Indianapolis and St. Louis are among the major cities included in this widespread risk. An additional 45 million people in surrounding areas, including Dallas, Chicago and Cleveland, are under a Level 2 out of 5 risk.
The storms will begin in Illinois and east Texas late Sunday afternoon and will become more violent as they extend east through much of the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee valleys into Sunday evening and overnight.
It has already been a busy year for tornadoes, although the peak of the severe weather season is still weeks away. There have been nearly 300 tornado reports since the start of 2025, compared to 164 by the end of March 2024.
