Severe weather to target Chicago to Detroit before the holiday weekend

Powerful thunderstorms will ramp up this week across the Central states, AccuWeather meteorologists warn, as a potent storm advancing across southern Canada sparks rounds of severe weather from the Dakotas to the Ohio Valley.

The pattern will usher somewhat cooler and less humid conditions into the Plains and Great Lakes, where highs have been soaring into the upper 90s recently.

"An active stretch of weather is set to continue across the Midwest in the days leading up to the extended Labor Day weekend, with the risk for damaging thunderstorms still in the offing," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

Flooding downpours, hail, damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes affected portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening.

Another round of severe weather is developing farther east into the Great Lakes on Friday.

From Friday afternoon to Friday night, residents from Chicago to Indianapolis on eastward to Detroit will be face the threat of disruptive storms. Those traveling along interstates 57, 69, 70 and 75 may experience travel slowdowns or delays during the evening commute as the holiday weekend officially begins.

While the area likely to be impacted by storms on Friday is smaller than on Thursday, it includes a handful of higher population centers and metro areas. This region has already faced disruptions from storms earlier in the week, and additional impacts on Friday could double down on those still recovering.

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"Many residents are still without power across Michigan in the wake of the thunderstorm activity on Tuesday, which can pose a heightened risk as additional strong storms are expected again on Friday," pointed out Buckingham.

Into the weekend, pockets of showers and thunderstorms may continue to impact portions of far northern Minnesota into northern Michigan. However, a zone of high pressure migrating into the northern Plains will promote mainly dry weather from the Dakotas to Illinois.

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