Folks in the Casper, Wyoming to Fort Collins, Colorado area need to watch the weather closely this afternoon and evening because a few severe thunderstorms are expected.
We are most concerned about big hail and big wind today.
NEW: A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska until 9 p.m. A couple tornadoes will be possible, hail up to tennis ball size, and wind up to 70 mph! #WYwx #COwx #NEwx pic.twitter.com/vl4ZmfS1Bg
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) May 11, 2018
When the watch was originally issued by the Storm Prediction Center, it covered a population of more than 800,000 people. Those in the watch area need to keep an eye to the sky, keep an ear out for thunder, and adhere to instructions within weather alerts!
^^Some good take-home-info between a weather watch and warning^^
This is just one of a couple of areas with the potential of severe weather today.
Marginal Risk = Isolated severe thunderstorms are expected, however limited in coverage and/or duration
Slight Risk = Scattered severe thunderstorms are expected, some more intense and longer-lasting
The forecast radar and clouds for the rest of today shows these slow-moving thunderstorms (mainly yellow and red here) moving to the east-northeast. Notice the yellow and reds aren’t widespread, meaning these thunderstorms will be here and there, not everywhere.
The thunderstorms are popping up along a long boundary separating hot and cool air. Record heat is likely across much of the South, while winter storm warnings are in effect for parts of Wyoming!
For WeatherNation, Meteorologist Steve Glazier