The focus of severe weather activity will shift eastward Thursday as the strong storm system that brought tornadoes to Missouri, Illinois and Indiana moves through Illinois into Indiana.
Warm, moist air ahead of this system will fuel more rain and thunderstorms from the Central Gulf Coast States through the Eastern Valley into New York. This activity is expected to decrease through the midday as the system weakens. Despite some weakening, warm and unstable conditions ahead of this system and its associated cold front will cause areas from the Central Gulf States through Upstate New York to be at slight risk of severe weather development. The strongest instability will focus from the Tennessee Valley and Southern Appalachians through Upstate New York. While damaging wind will be the primary severe weather concern in these regions, atmospheric conditions, especially from the Ohio Valley through Upstate New York, may become favorable for supercell development.
Behind this activity, high pressure will prevail across the Plains with calm conditions. Hot, dry and windy conditions will maintain fire weather concerns and lead to an increased threat of wildfires in parts of New Mexico and Texas.
In the West, a late season storm will move through the Northern Intermountain West with gusty winds, unseasonably cold temperatures and a mix of light rain showers and high elevation snow showers. Meanwhile, cool and unsettled conditions will continue in the Pacific Northwest.
Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Wednesday ranged from a morning low of 24 degrees at Wolf Creek Pass, Colo., to a high of 101 degrees at Laredo, Texas.
