# Dangerous Derecho Threat Looms Over Central US Through Monday

About this episode

The episode discusses the severe weather threat of a potential derecho affecting the central US.

Listeners, severe weather is ramping up across the central US right now, with lines of powerful thunderstorms packing damaging winds that could evolve into a destructive derecho. A YouTube weather update from this week details big storms merging over the Plains, moving east into Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and beyond, fueled by high instability levels exceeding 1000 joules per kilogram. Today, Thursday April 23rd, expect scattered severe storms from the Twin Cities down through Des Moines, Omaha, Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita, with a mesoscale convective system likely forming—a fast-moving line of storms producing 60 to 70 mph wind gusts as the primary threat. Golf ball-sized hail and isolated tornadoes are also possible during peak afternoon heating around 3 to 10 PM. The USDA reported on April 22nd that very warm, windy conditions ahead of this storm system are hitting the Plains, with gusts over 60 mph in Montana and elevated wildfire risks from there to western Texas. Tomorrow, Friday April 24th, the cold front surges south, bringing scattered severe storms from Dallas-Fort Worth east to Little Rock, Memphis, Shreveport, and Texarkana, potentially intensifying…

Topics covered

• severe weather
• thunderstorms
• derecho
• storm systems
• tornadoes
• hail

Keywords

• derecho
• severe weather
• thunderstorms
• tornadoes
• hail
• wind gusts
• storm systems

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Central US, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Texas, Dallas-Fort Worth, Little Rock, Memphis

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• # Powerful Midwest Windstorm Approaches Derecho Status, Leaves Hundreds of Thousands Without Power · June 4, 2026 · 5 min
• # Powerful Derecho Brings Hurricane-Force Winds Across Central and Eastern U.S. · May 21, 2026 · 4 min