(CNN) — Destructive hail, winds and strong tornadoes could thrash communities in parts of the Midwest Tuesday as relentless storms tear a path across the US this week.
“An outbreak of severe thunderstorms, including the potential for strong (at least EF2-strength) tornadoes, is probable today,” the Storm Prediction Center warned Tuesday morning.
More than 25 million people across the region are under a Level 3 of 5 or Level 4 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms Tuesday, the SPC said. Powerful storms were pushing through parts of the Midwest Tuesday morning but more dangerous storms will develop.
Storms are expected to reach their peak strength in the Midwest during the afternoon and carry into Tuesday night.
The biggest area of concern for widespread, hazardous impacts centers on much of Iowa, northwest Illinois, southwest Wisconsin and northern Missouri.
Tornadoes, some stronger than EF2, as well as destructive wind gusts and hail as large as tennis balls are the main threats across the Midwest Tuesday.
Later Tuesday afternoon and evening, hurricane-strength wind gusts up to 90 mph could blow through the region. The gales threaten to knock out electricity if they damage trees and power lines in their path.
Des Moines, Iowa, is in the bull’s-eye of the strongest storms and potential tornadoes, but Chicago, Milwaukee and other population centers are also at risk of damaging storms.
Flash flooding triggered by heavy rainfall also poses a threat for parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nebraska, where flood watches are in effect Tuesday. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are possible with some places eyeing totals of up to 5 inches.
Rounds of severe storms have been making their way across the US over the past week, including a devastating storm that struck Houston on Thursday, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without power amid unseasonable heat.
Additional severe thunderstorms are expected to develop on Wednesday in a 1,500 mile stretch from Texas to western New York. Any storm could unload damaging winds and hail. A few tornadoes are also possible on Wednesday, mainly from Texas to Kentucky.
Dangerous Heat in Houston amid power outages
High temperatures in Houston will push into the 90s each afternoon for much of the week as a large number of residents remain without power due to destructive storms on Thursday.
Severe storms unleashed a tornado and 100 mph winds last week on Harris County, which includes Houston, and sent sheets of rain and large debris whipping through the air as people took cover inside cars, grocery stores and hotel lobbies.
The violent conditions killed at least eight people, ripped out skyscraper windows, downed critical power infrastructure, caused a sewage spill and made roads impassable.
Electricity has yet to be restored for more than 140,000 homes and businesses in Harris County as of Tuesday morning, according to PowerOutage.us. While authorities had previously warned that power restoration could take weeks, the area’s power utility has promised an earlier timeline.
Power restoration will be “substantially complete” in Harris County by Wednesday evening, power provider CentrePoint said in a Monday news release.
But heat will take a very concerning turn for anyone that remains without power after midweek.
A dangerous heat wave is ramping up over south Texas this week and will reach the central Gulf Coast by the weekend. Some daily high temperature records could be broken. The worst heat is expected to begin over the weekend in the Houston area. Memorial Day could be the hottest day of the year so far in the city, according to the National Weather Service.
“Record or near-record warm overnight temperatures will provide little to no relief to those without adequate or reliable cooling,” the National Weather Service warns.
Heat is the deadliest form of extreme weather and poses a growing threat as human-driven climate change leads to longer and more intense periods of excessive heat.
The heat index – a measurement of how hot the body actually feels – will climb into the upper 90s in the afternoons and occasionally reach 100 degrees for much of the work week. Heat index values from 105 to 110 degrees are possible over the weekend.
Heat relief will finally arrive toward the end of the month.
CNN’s Joe Sutton contributed to this report.
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