AccuWeather® Global Weather Center – March 31, 2026 – A volatile spring weather pattern bringing snow, ice, and severe storms is expected to disrupt travel and threaten outdoor plans from the Plains and Mississippi Valley to the Great Lakes and central Appalachians during the peak spring break and Easter holiday period.
A rapid warmup across parts of the Midwest and Northeast this week is helping to set the stage for dramatic temperature swings and severe thunderstorm development. Storms will be capable of producing hail, flooding downpours and
Damaging wind gusts of 60-70 mph are expected through late Tuesday night and again Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax
of 85 mph.
“Severe weather season is ramping up in full force this week, and it’s happening during one of the busiest travel periods of spring,” said Carl Erickson, AccuWeather Director of Forecasting Operations. “A volatile clash between building warmth and a surging push of chillier air, combined with moisture from the Gulf, will fuel multiple rounds of powerful and disruptive thunderstorms.”
Timeline of Severe Weather Threats
• Tuesday: The severe weather zone is forecast to expand from central Oklahoma and eastern Kansas through western Pennsylvania and New York. The greatest concentration of severe storms is expected from southern Michigan to northern Indiana and Ohio.
• Wednesday: Severe thunderstorms are expected to focus farther south over parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, while heavy thunderstorms may also drench parts of the mid-Atlantic.
• Thursday: The severe weather risk will continue across parts of the Mississippi Valley and Plains, with localized damaging wind gusts of 50-60 mph possible.
• Friday: The risk of severe weather will shift from central Texas to southern Nebraska and Iowa.
• Saturday: The severe weather risk zone shifts eastward, extending from Texas and Louisiana to the Great Lakes region, including parts of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and upstate New York.
• Rainfall and flooding concerns: AccuWeather forecasts a general 1-4 inches of rain this week from Texas and the north-central Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes and central Appalachians, with locally higher amounts of up to 6 inches possible, according to AccuWeather StormMax.
“Powerful wind gusts, hail, and flooding downpours are the most widespread hazards expected this week. Several tornadoes are possible. The most intense weather may strike after dark, so make sure you have multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings that can wake you up,” Erickson said.
Rainfall will be beneficial across parts of the Plains, central U.S., and Southeast this week. More than 29% of the continental U.S. is currently in severe, extreme, or exceptional drought.
Winter Storm Impacts
Following a stretch of unseasonable warmth, AccuWeather expert meteorologists say a winter storm is forecast to bring snow and ice from the Dakotas through the Great Lakes from Wednesday night through Friday morning.
A swath of 3 to 6 inches of snow along the northern edge of the storm, combined with dangerous icing to the south, is likely to cause widespread flight delays and cancellations at regional airports while making travel on roads and highways slow and hazardous.
Snow accumulations of 6-12 inches are expected in some spots, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 14 inches.
Significant ice impacts are possible across parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and parts of Canada into Maine.
“Do not let the calendar fool you. It may be springtime, but high-impact snow and ice storms can still cause major disruptions in April,” said Erickson. “Snow and ice could cause big travel problems at airports and on highways in the path of this winter storm.”
AccuWeather experts say more than 3,000 flights across the U.S. could be canceled through late Sunday night due to severe weather and winter storm impacts expected across the country.
