High Wind Events Northern U.S. Through Early Next Week

Climate Impact Company Early U.S. Notes

Issued: Thursday March 12, 2026

Highlight: High impact weather! High wind events!

Fig. 1: Latest NOAA/NWS weather watch, warning, and advisory areas.

Discussion: On Tuesday, 534 severe weather reports were issued by NOAA/SPC from Texas to Indiana including 28 tornado reports and 379 hail damage reports. The tally for yesterday (so far) is 237 severe weather reports, mostly wind damage from Louisiana to Ohio and eastward to the Mid-Atlantic. The severe weather abates today but following high wind events and additional severe weather is widespread through early next week. A major high wind event (Fig. 1) extends from the Northern Rockies to the Midwest U.S. today and tonight featuring wind gusts above hurricane force in the northwest Great Plains today, near 70 mph Midwest tonight (Fig. 2), and gusting 55-65 mph in the Ohio Valley midday tomorrow (Fig. 3). A second storm brings wind gusts to 45-60 mph Sunday night across the Midwest and Ohio Valley (Fig. 4) shifting across the Northeast Corridor with severe storms on Monday (Fig. 5). The second storm forecast for SUN/MON (Fig. 6) will produce an Upper Midwest U.S. blizzard (Fig. 7). The stormy pattern ushers in cold air for early-to- middle next week across the Eastern U.S. while emerging potential record heat extends northward from the Southwest U.S. later next week (Fig. 8). The latest U.S. population weight HDD forecast is unchanged from yesterday (Fig. 9).

Fig. 2-5: GFS max wind gust forecasts for 2AM Friday, 1PM Friday, 11PM Sunday, and 4PM Monday.

Fig. 6-7: NOAA/WPC quantitative precipitation forecast for SUN/MON and the NBM 48-hour snowfall forecast for SUN/MON.

Fig. 8: NOAA/CPC excessive warmth forecast for March 19-23 in the West.

Fig. 9: The U.S. gas population weight HDD forecast utilizing all operational models, their consensus, and comparison with 24 hours ago and 30/10-year normal.