More than 50 million people are at risk of severe weather from Texas to Virginia: forecast details

(CNN) — A powerful storm system is moving across the United States, bringing the threat of severe storms, flooding and snow to the central and eastern parts of the country from Texas to Virginia.

The potential for damaging weather events increases on Monday, when more than 50 million people in Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri could face severe storm risk.

Here are the forecast details for the next few days.

Monday: Increased risk of damaging wind gusts and tornadoes

The main area of ​​interest on Monday stretched from northeast Texas to western Indiana. For that area, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has set a severe storm risk level of 3 out of 5.

Dallas, Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, Springfield, and St. Louis are some of the cities in the highest risk area, where the main threats are tornadoes (some may be EF2+), large to very large hail (greater than 5 cm in diameter) and Harmful wind blows.

“A strong threat will peak over the southern plains in the afternoon/evening, with the greatest threat to areas around the Ohio Valley during the evening/evening period,” the SPC warned.

From central Texas to West Virginia, passing through San Antonio, Indianapolis, Austin, Kansas City and Cincinnati, the risk of severe storms is slight (Level 2 of 5).

A marginal risk of severe thunderstorms (level 1 out of 5) extends from Texas to eastern Virginia, including Amarillo, Shreveport, Richmond, and Columbus, Ohio. The main hazards are large hail and damaging wind gusts, but the possibility of tornadoes cannot be ruled out.

Research shows that nighttime tornadoes are more than twice as deadly as daylight tornadoes.

Tornadoes are hard to spot in the dark, but that’s mainly because people are sleeping.

A flood watch is in effect for more than 8 million people from eastern Indiana to western Maryland beginning Monday morning and continuing through Tuesday afternoon. Between 2.5 and 10 cm of rain is possible, with isolated totals of 13 cm. can reach

Parts of the Northern Plains could see more snow on Monday, while the Upper Midwest could see a wintry mix on Monday.

Tuesday: Strong storm system moves east

The risk of severe storms extends from northern Alabama to southern Ohio, including Nashville, Louisville, and Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky.

The primary risks are large hail, damaging wind gusts, and tornadoes, similar to those for areas facing a slight risk of severe thunderstorms, which stretch from central Mississippi to central Ohio and include Cincinnati, Birmingham, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.

Cities in danger level 1 of 5 for Tuesday include Jackson, Mobile, Memphis, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Washington, Baltimore and Richmond. Baltimore is still recovering from the Key Bridge collapse.

At the northern end of the storm, temperatures are cold enough that a wintry mix and even some snow in April is possible. The northern Plains and parts of the upper Midwest could see a wintry mix on Monday before the threat of wintry conditions extends into the Great Lakes and the interior Northeast by Thursday.

Cities like Chicago may also see a few flakes, but little snow accumulation is expected. The heaviest snowfall is expected in northern Michigan and in the Northeast interior such as the Green, White and Adirondack Mountains.

Only rain is expected in major cities of Northeast.