Severe storms, earthquakes, and the Tropics

Stormy in the Plains: Scattered rain and thunderstorms will slow down drivers across various parts the country today and tonight. However, it will be relatively quiet in the West and Northeast. Severe storms are possible from the Texas Panhandle to the northern Great Plains. The best chance for intense winds, large hail, blinding rain, and isolated tornadoes is along I-90 and I-94 from Billings, Montana and Sheridan, Wyoming into the Dakotas and northwestern Minnesota. Other target areas could be the southern half of Nebraska, as well as eastern Colorado and northern Kansas, affecting I-70 and I-80.

California quakes: After two strong earthquakes cracked roads in and around the town of Ridgecrest on July 4 and 5, traffic is flowing a little better. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) tweeted on June 6 that “All roads are open near the Ridgecrest earthquakes & aftershocks. This includes SR-178, which re-opened after emergency temporary repairs. Heavy equipment will be used to make permanent repairs. Motorists need [to] obey hazard signs and slow down.” According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the region has been averaging one aftershock per minute since Friday’s quake, and more are possible.

Eyes on the Gulf: A low pressure system in Georgia could move into the Gulf of Mexico by mid-week, then head west as a tropical depression. This would potentially dump heavy rain in southern parts of Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana later this week, and produce gusty winds.