Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0300 PM CDT Wed Jul 22 2026
Valid 222000Z - 231200Z
...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF
THE MID ATLANTIC AND NEW ENGLAND...SOUTHEAST TEXAS...THE CENTRAL
HIGH PLAINS AND CENTRAL OREGON....
...SUMMARY...
Isolated to widely scattered storms remain possible across the
Carolinas and southern Mid-Atlantic, as well as New England this
afternoon and early evening, with damaging winds as the primary
concern. Isolated strong to severe wind gusts are also possible in
the central High Plains, southeast Texas and central Oregon, where
isolated large hail will also be possible.
...20z Update New England...
A broken band of strong to occasionally severe convection remains
ongoing ahead of a progressive cold front over northern and eastern
New England this afternoon. Weak buoyancy, but fairly strong
deep-layer shear (35-45 kt) should support isolated hail, and
damaging winds with stronger clusters or supercell structures this
afternoon. A brief tornado also remains possible across northern ME
where low-level shear is locally stronger. The primary change this
outlook cycle was to lower overall severe probabilities and remove
them behind the front where the air mass has stabilized.
...Mid Atlantic and Carolinas...
Farther south, the cold front has become increasingly zonally
oriented and slowed as the upper trough has lifted away to the
northeast. A warm and very moist environment remains in place across
southeastern VA into northern NC. However, poor mid-level lapse
rates and decreasing vertical shear have limited convective
organization and intensity. Some renewed intensity is possible along
the convectively modified boundary/differential heating axis along
the NC/VA border this afternoon and evening. However, the severe
threat (predominately damaging gusts) is expected to remain isolated
into this evening. Severe probabilities have been lowered and
adjusted to better match the main focal area for severe storms near
the VA/NC border through this evening.
Elsewhere, isolated severe gusts/hail remain possible over parts of
the central High Plains and the southeast TX. Isolated hail is also
possible over parts of central OR. Scattered storms are expected
late this afternoon through the evening. No changes were made to
theses areas, see the previous discussion for more information.
..Lyons.. 07/22/2026
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1121 AM CDT Wed Jul 22 2026/
...Northern New England this afternoon...
Per water vapor imagery and morning upper air observations, a
pronounced midlevel trough will progress east-northeastward from
PA/NY/Saint Lawrence Valley toward New England through this
afternoon. An associated surface cold front will likewise move
eastward and provide a focus for thunderstorm development by early
afternoon into Maine. A few cloud breaks developing from
west-to-east through the afternoon will allow surface temperatures
to warm into the 70s with boundary-layer dewpoints in the mid 60s,
resulting in MLCAPE in the 1000-1500 J/kg range. Deep-layer,
south-southwesterly shear will be sufficient for a mix of clusters
and supercells with a primary threat for occasional wind damage.
...Mid-Atlantic this afternoon/evening...
A pre-frontal band of convection is ongoing across southern VA, with
a narrow zone of stronger surface heating/destabilization to the
north of the thicker clouds from northern VA into MD/DE in advance
of a cold front moving across PA. The southern fringe of the
stronger (35-50 kt) midlevel flow extends to near the VA/NC border
on the south side of the thicker cloud band. The ongoing convection
is likely persist through the afternoon while spreading slowly
southward. Midlevel lapse rates will remain poor, but deep-layer
vertical shear will be sufficient for embedded/organized storms with
occasional wind damage. Low-level shear will be marginally
favorable for rotating storms and perhaps an isolated tornado.
...Southeast TX late this afternoon through late evening...
Strong surface heating is underway with a general confluence zone
near the TX/LA border well to the west of highly-sheared Tropical
Storm Bertha. As Bertha continues westward, this confluence zone
should support thunderstorm development into southeast TX late this
afternoon. Steering flow from the northeast at ~35 kt will favor
storm clusters moving southwestward into a hot, deeply mixed
boundary layer where buoyancy will be sufficient to maintain the
storm clusters into late evening. A few strong-severe outflow gusts
will be the main threats.
...Northeast CO and vicinity this afternoon/evening...
Low-level upslope flow on the cool side of a surface front, combined
with weak perturbations rotating around the northwest periphery of
the southern Plains midlevel high, will support afternoon
thunderstorm development over the foothills. The storms will spread
east-southeastward onto the plains, with a tendency for clustering
with the potential for isolated severe outflow gusts.
...OR this afternoon/evening...
Along the northwest edge of the monsoonal moisture plume, a midlevel
shortwave trough will move northward from northern CA into OR. Weak
forcing for ascent combined with daytime heating over the higher
terrain will support scattered thunderstorms later this
afternoon/evening from the Cascades into central OR. An environment
with MLCAPE of 500-1000 J/kg, steepening low-level lapse rates and
effective bulk shear near 25 kt will support isolated strong outflow
gusts and marginally severe hail.
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