Organized rain and thunderstorms from New England to the Mid Atlantic continue to be an issue through the next 48 hours or so, followed by life getting considerably better. Undoubtedly, there will be more rain and thunder somewhere in the country, but the focused, widespread activity is going to take a little bit of a break.

A system working it’s way through the country is temporarily bringing some more comfortable weather across the middle of the country. Of course, there is more smoke behind this system, and there is a lot of red skied sunsets across the northern Plains tonight. And of course, it’s going to roast again. Check out the next several day forecast out of Wichita.

Today has been a scary severe weather day, with the tornadoes in Chicago. There is ongoing severe weather in Lower Michigan and in the middle of the country from Missouri to Kansas. The severe weather will return tomorrow, coupled with more flash flooding possible in New England, Vermont in particular. Severe weather is coming from the Eastern Great Lakes, through the Ohio Valley, as well as in the high Plains – tornado alley. Friday is going to be quieter, and right now, at least, it looks even better for the weekend.

The tail end of a tornado outbreak is wrapping up in Chicago. Unfortunately, the densest population in Chicago is on the Lake, so the worst may still be to come. Look at the radar progression this evening, as those tornado reports crop up through the evening.

There have been reports of damage that started in Huntley with roofs and tree damage, then more to the south around La Grange, with the final set of reports coming from Bloomingdale to O’Hare Airport. Having a tornado outbreak in a metropolitan area as densely populated as Chicago is a scary scenario, and we will await news from the authorities, as storms roll out into the Lake.

Another line of thunderstorms decides to develop 2 hours behind the first batch

With the severe weather further to the east, hot dry air is billowing up the Front Range. Highs in Denver are expected to be in the 90s through Thursday, at which point a rainier spell will settle in.

In looking at the forecast for heat across the southern US, temperatures will be dangerously warm, most anomalously so from El Paso to northern New Mexico, but as they say, it will be a dry heat. Sweltering humidity is going to make the Gulf Coast and areas north to Missouri and Tennessee painfully uncomfortable as well.

Hydrate, find air conditioning and stay safe!

Never fear, that robust area of showers and storms will stay out of the Metro.

UPDATE 9:34PM

And there it goes

Cooler temperatures, relative to normal, are expected for the next couple of weeks in the north central US. Don’t be surprised if the south continues it’s blistering inferno. It’s all part of the hot summer we all get to enjoy in the northern Hemisphere this year.

I like this radar image, because it is so unusual for Florida. One isolated storm over Lake Okechobee, and another just out west of the Florida Peninsula.

Usually, you will see bands of showers, or a region wide smattering of showers and storms. The discrete cells aren’t what we usually see.