May, already wetter than normal—1.28 inches versus 0.67 of an inch—delivers its
latest thundery soaking in waves Wednesday. Warm, more humid air arrives as south
winds increased overnight and 35+ m.p.h. gusts keep the moisture needed to fuel
some potentially energetic downpours coming. While rainfall totals of a half inch or
more will be widespread, locations visited by the heaviest showers and
thunderstorms could get an inch or more.
The system behind Chicago’s Wednesday storms walloped the Plains and western
Midwest with thunderstorms late Tuesday believed to have produced three tornado
touchdowns in Winona County in southeast Minnesota —west of LaCrosse, Wis. In
Texas, 4.5-inch diameter hail (softball size) pummeled Olton while 4.25-inch
diameter hail knocked out windows near Grand Falls. Upon arriving home, a fire
official in Rose, Neb., witnessed a barrage of tennis-ball size hail that covered the
ground to a depth of 8 to 10 inches.
A 30-DEGREE TWO-DAY TEMPERATURE DIVE AHEAD—THE EQUIVALENT OF A LATE
JUNE TO LATE MARCH TEMP SHIFT
Unseasonably chilly air follows the rains. A blocking pattern aloft in Canada means
Thursday’s near 30-degree temp pullback won’t be the last in the next two weeks.
