Severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, very large hail, and destructive winds are targeting two separate regions of the United States simultaneously today, Monday, June 22 — a rare and dangerous setup that has forecasters on high alert from the Rocky Mountains all the way to the Atlantic Coast.
What’s Happening
The Storm Prediction Center has issued dual Slight Risk (Level 2 of 5) areas covering an enormous stretch of the country at the same time — something meteorologists describe as highly unusual for a single day.
On one end, discrete supercells are expected to fire across eastern Wyoming and Colorado this afternoon, moving southeast into Nebraska. These storms carry the threat of very large hail and damaging winds. The tornado threat is considered highest across western Nebraska and northeastern Colorado as storms push off the high terrain and tap into deeper moisture below.
East Coast on Alert
Simultaneously, a frontal zone draped across Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware is setting the stage for a dangerous afternoon and evening. Multicell clusters pushing out of the Appalachians could produce damaging winds and one or two tornadoes along this corridor. Forecasters are watching this zone closely as conditions remain volatile through the evening hours.
Southeast Also at Risk
Farther south, portions of the Southeast face threats from a mesoscale convective vortex — a rotating weather system left over from overnight storms. This feature is capable of sparking additional supercells, bringing brief tornadoes and damaging winds to the region through the day.
Who Should Be Watching
Residents in and around Denver, Cheyenne, Kansas City, St. Louis, Philadelphia, New York, and Atlanta all fall within or near today’s outlined risk areas.
What to Do Right Now
If you are in any of the affected states, have a weather alert system active on your phone, identify your nearest shelter, and avoid being outdoors during peak storm hours this afternoon and evening. Conditions can deteriorate rapidly with little warning.
Stay weather-aware. This storm system is not over yet.
