Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0739 AM CDT Wed Oct 14 2026
Valid 141300Z - 151200Z
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PART OF THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS AND SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS...
...SUMMARY...
Thunderstorms with severe wind gusts and potentially a tornado
threat will be possible this afternoon and evening across parts of
the southern Plains. A marginal wind-damage threat will also be
possible from parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic .
...Southern Plains/Southern High Plains...
Early morning surface observations and regional radar imagery show a
wavy outflow boundary from southern IL across southeast MO, northern
AR, and eastern/central/southwest OK into the TX South Plains.
Showers and thunderstorms are ongoing north of this outflow, but
predominantly south of the primary cold front that extends from the
northern TX Panhandle east-northeastward across northwest and
north-central OK and then northeastward through southeast KS,
central MO, and northern IL. Southerly low to mid-level flow is
expected to persist throughout the day, and the associated warm-air
advection across the outflow boundary will likely result in showers
and thunderstorms continuing from the TX Panhandle eastward across
western and central OK for most of the day. Southward progression on
the outflow will slow this morning, with the boundary eventually
returning northward as a warm front later this evening. The cold
front is forecast to remain stationary for much of the period.
When and where the outflow boundary ends its forward progression is
uncertain, which introduces uncertainty regarding where the best
severe potential will exist today. The portion of the outflow
boundary across the southern High Plains appears to already have
lost much of its character, so there is relatively higher confidence
in the location of the severe potential across that region.
Expectation here is for daytime heating to destabilize the airmass
east of the stalled outflow where temperatures could reach the mid
80s amid mid to upper 60s dewpoints. Moderate buoyancy and effective
shear from 40 to 50 kt will support initial supercell structures
capable of large hail and damaging gusts. Upscale growth into one or
more linear bowing segments is possible with time. Primary threat
will transition to damaging wind gusts as this occurs.
A more complex and uncertain scenario exists farther north from
northwest TX into east-central/southeast OK. Isolated strong to
severe storms are possible along and south of the outflow boundary.
The strongest buoyancy is expected across south-central/southeast OK
where mid 70s dewpoints will remain in place. As previously
mentioned, the outflow is expected to retreat back northward as an
effective warm front later this afternoon and evening. Additional
strong to severe storms are possible as this occurs as well as later
this evening as eastward-progressing linear clusters move into this
moist and unstable airmass. A strengthening low-level jet will
support a low-probability tornado risk with any more cellular warm
sector development this evening, particularly across southwest into
south-central OK where vertically veering profiles are anticipated.
...Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic...
Ongoing showers and thunderstorms across southeast MO and southern
IL are forecast to continue eastward today. Daytime heating combined
with boundary-layer dewpoints in the mid 60s to low 70s is expected
to contribute to pockets of moderate instability with MLCAPE
approaching 1000-1250 J/kg by mid-late afternoon. The ongoing storms
may intensify, with an increase in coverage possible as well.
Steepening low-level lapse rates coupled with strengthening
west-southwesterly winds with height (yielding up to 35-40 kt of
deep-layer shear) appear supportive of isolated severe storms
capable of damaging wind gusts into evening.
..Mosier/Wendt.. 10/14/2026
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