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The seasons, they are a-changing. At least, that’s the case for people living in the Northern Plains this week. The Dakotas and Nebraska are in store for a serious cooldown near the end of this week, though first, they’ll be seeing some serious rainfall.
The Dakotas and Nebraska can expect a burst of severe thunderstorms with intense rainfall starting Friday afternoon/evening. The forecast calls for potential hail, as well as wind speeds of up to 70 mph. That’s what you’d expect from a tropical storm, and the Northern Plains are going to be seeing that miles away from any ocean.
AccuWeather has also warned that there could be scattered tornadoes associated with the storm activity. People living in the Northern Plains should be aware ahead of time that traveling on Fridays could be caught in rough weather. We encourage people living in the region to discontinue travel plans until the weather clears.
By Sunday the weather should clear significantly, though it could linger until early in the week.
The risks of thunderstorms range from the high winds causing damage to windows and structures to lightning strikes knocking out power or striking people. If you’re in the Northern Plains region, make sure you stay inside during any thunderstorms. Stay away from the windows, as high wind speeds could send debris flying into them.
Avoid driving during the severe weather, as the risk of hydroplaning is much greater during heavy rainfall. The risk of tornadoes and hail also makes it dangerous to operate a vehicle. All of this includes the added risks of poor visibility from the storm. In short, it’s a good idea to simply stay inside until the rough weather blows over.
This last burst of intense weather is likely to precede a massive cooldown in the region into next week. By Saturday, the region should be seeing average temperatures ten to fifteen degrees lower on average than earlier in the week. The temperature will likely continue to trend downward as the season shifts into fall in the Northern Plains.
