SIOUX FALLS, S.D (KELO) — Scattered storms can be expected this evening through the overnight into the morning hours. While not everyone will get a storm, the ones that do have a chance at severe weather and heavy rainfall.
Spend any time outdoors in central and eastern KELOLAND and you’ll feel the humidity with dew point temperatures in the middle 60s to the middle 70s or higher. That moisture is not only at the surface, but it’s also stacked in the higher layers of the atmosphere which is the reason why we’ll have heavy rain with strong storms.
One thing we don’t often talk about is what happens above the surface, about 5,000 feet above the surface called the low-level jet. Think of it as a river of strong winds that develop due to temperature changes usually from daytime heating to nighttime cooling. The low-level jet helps create lift in the atmosphere which helps aid in storm development and is usually the main reason for nighttime storms. We’ll have the low-level jet kick in again Tuesday night and Wednesday.
And finally, our typical surface features of a warm front and low-pressure system act as focal points for storm development. Both of these will be monitored tonight through tomorrow night.
In the meantime, be prepared for storm development. Any storms that develop will have a chance to become severe and contain periods of heavy rain.
