Severe Storm Outlook Narrative (AC)
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
545 ACUS02 KWNS 280529 SWODY2 SPC AC 280527 Day 2 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1227 AM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026 Valid 291200Z - 301200Z ...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN A CORRIDOR ACROSS SOUTHERN TEXAS THROUGH THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST...AND ACROSS THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU INTO MID ATLANTIC... ...SUMMARY... Widely scattered strong to severe storms may impact a corridor from south of the Texas Big Bend through the north central Gulf Coast vicinity Wednesday afternoon into evening, with additional strong storms posing at least some risk for severe weather across the Allegheny Plateau into Mid Atlantic. ...Discussion... Models still indicate that mid-level ridging will build inland across the Canadian Rockies/Pacific Northwest through this period, but it appears that attempts at a developing embedded high near the Pacific Northwest coast will become suppressed by a short wave impulse within the westerlies approaching the British Columbia coast. Farther south, a mid-level low merging into a belt of westerlies emanating from the subtropical eastern Pacific may accelerate toward southern California/northern Baja coastal areas, but models continue to substantively vary concerning this motion. A downstream subtropical high, initially centered over southern Mexico, may undergo at least some further southwestward suppression, but it still may maintain considerable influence as far north as southern Texas through Texas Gulf coast Wednesday through Wednesday night. At the same time, in higher latitudes, large-scale troughing encompassing much of north central and northeastern North America is forecast to continue slowly digging toward the northern/mid Atlantic Seaboard. A broad embedded cyclonic mid-level circulation may begin to form near/north of the Great Lakes region. The confluent mid-level regime across and east of the Rockies will likely support southeastward development of cool surface ridging across much of the Great Plains and Mississippi Valley, in the wake of a southeastward advancing cold front. Models generally suggest that a modest surface low evolving along this front may migrate from the lower Ohio Valley northeastward through the lower Great Lakes region, with a modest secondary surface low forming along a developing warm front to the east of the Blue Ridge by late Wednesday afternoon into evening, but there is notable spread within the guidance concerning this evolution. ...Lower Rio Grande Valley into north central Gulf Coast... Uncertainties abound concerning the convective potential for this period. The continuing presence of mid-level ridging and warm elevated mixed-layer air may be inhibitive to more than isolated sustained thunderstorm development east of the Rio Grande River, to the south of Del Rio, through much of Deep South Texas. Across the upper Texas coastal plain through much of the Gulf Coast states, conglomerate convective outflow from thunderstorm activity today through tonight may slow destabilization ahead of the southward advancing cold front, and there is spread concerning where this outflow may end up by 12Z Wednesday. Still, subtle short wave perturbations within moderate to strong west-northwesterly mid/upper flow, near/north of the periphery of the subtropical ridging, may provide support for thunderstorm initiation with boundary-layer destabilization. Guidance suggests that this may include at least pockets of moderate CAPE, sufficient for isolated to widely scattered intense convection which could evolve into supercells and/or small organized clusters with potential to produce severe hail and wind. ...Allegheny Plateau into Mid Atlantic... Given the spread among the latest model output concerning the initial surface frontal low migrating through the Ohio Valley, and the developing surface troughing/warm front to the east of the Blue Ridge, substantial uncertainty remains concerning the convective potential for this period. Remnant convective cloud cover and rain overspreading the region early in the day may also impede destabilization. However, with at least weak to moderate boundary-layer destabilization, strengthening wind fields and forcing for ascent associated with an approaching mid-level jet could become conducive to organized severe storm development. This may initiate west of the Allegheny Mountains, and include potential for evolving supercell structures, before developing to the east of the Blue Ridge by late Wednesday afternoon into evening. ..Kerr.. 04/28/2026 $$