990  
ACUS48 KWNS 260834  
SWOD48  
SPC AC 260832  
 
DAY 4-8 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
0332 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2026  
 
VALID 291200Z - 031200Z  
   
..DISCUSSION
 
   
..DAY 4/WEDNESDAY
 
 
THE LARGE-SCALE PATTERN WILL FEATURE AN UPPER HIGH OVER THE SOUTHERN  
HIGH PLAINS WITH RIDGING EXTENDING INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND  
UPPER MS VALLEY. MEANWHILE, BROADER-SCALE TROUGHING WILL PERSIST  
ACROSS THE EASTERN CONUS, ANCHORED BY AN UPPER LOW OVER THE  
MID-ATLANTIC.  
 
A VERY MOIST AIR MASS IS EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO MODERATE TO  
STRONG INSTABILITY BY AFTERNOON ALONG A COLD FRONT OVER THE  
SOUTHEAST. WHILE VERTICAL SHEAR WILL REMAIN RATHER WEAK, THE STRONG  
BUOYANCY WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF LOCALLY INTENSE DOWNDRAFTS CAPABLE OF  
DAMAGING WINDS. ELSEWHERE, A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS APPEAR  
POSSIBLE WITHIN A MOIST UPSLOPE REGIME OVER THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS,  
AS WELL AS ALONG A COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS.  
 
   
..DAYS 5 AND 6/THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
 
 
THE SOUTHWESTERN U.S. RIDGE/EASTERN U.S. TROUGH CONFIGURATION WILL  
BE MAINTAINED THIS PERIOD. BETWEEN THOSE FEATURES, A NOTABLE  
SHORT-WAVE TROUGH IS FORECAST TO TRACK FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS INTO  
THE MID MS VALLEY ALONG WITH A SURFACE FRONTAL SYSTEM. PERSISTENT  
LOW-LEVEL RIDGING FROM THE GREAT LAKES INTO THE GULF COAST STATES  
WILL LIMIT THE BREADTH OF AN UNSTABLE WARM SECTOR TO THE NORTHERN  
AND CENTRAL PLAINS ON THURSDAY, WHERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED.  
VERTICAL SHEAR IS NOT FORECAST TO BE PARTICULARLY STRONG; HOWEVER,  
SOME POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR AN ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE.  
ADDITIONAL STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS APPEAR POSSIBLE ALONG THE FRONT  
IN THE OZARKS ON FRIDAY. BOTH DAYS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED FOR  
THE POSSIBLE INCLUSION OF SEVERE WEATHER PROBABILITIES IN SUBSEQUENT  
FORECASTS.  
 
   
..DAYS 7 AND 8/SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
 
 
THERE IS GOOD AGREEMENT ACROSS THE ENSEMBLE MEANS IN THE PROGRESSION  
OF A MORE SIGNIFICANT SHORT-WAVE TROUGH FROM WESTERN INTO CENTRAL  
CANADA WITH THE SOUTHERN FRINGE OF MORE SUBSTANTIAL HEIGHT FALLS  
OVERSPREADING THE NORTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS ON  
SUNDAY. THAT UPPER-AIR SYSTEM WILL BE ATTENDED BY A COLD FRONT THAT  
COULD BE THE SOURCE OF SEVERE STORM DEVELOPMENT IN THOSE AREAS  
SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO NIGHT.  
 
..MEAD.. 07/26/2026  
 
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