955  
ACUS02 KWNS 161732  
SWODY2  
SPC AC 161730  
 
DAY 2 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
1130 AM CST MON FEB 16 2026  
 
VALID 171200Z - 181200Z  
   
..NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST
 
 
   
..SUMMARY
 
 
THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PACIFIC COASTAL AREAS AND THE  
CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT, AS WELL AS  
ACROSS PARTS OF THE MID MISSOURI VALLEY INTO UPPER MIDWEST TUESDAY  
NIGHT. HOWEVER, THE RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS CURRENTLY APPEARS LOW.  
   
..CALIFORNIA
 
 
IN THE WAKE OF A MID/UPPER-LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH EJECTING ACROSS  
THE GREAT BASIN/FOUR CORNERS REGION, ANOTHER STRONG TROUGH WILL DIG  
SOUTHEASTWARD ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST ON TUESDAY, AS A POWERFUL  
MID/UPPER-LEVEL JET BEGINS TO IMPINGE UPON THE CALIFORNIA COAST.  
ASCENT ATTENDANT TO THE TROUGH/JET AND COLD TEMPERATURES ALOFT WILL  
SUPPORT LOW-TOPPED CONVECTION ALONG MUCH OF THE CALIFORNIA COAST,  
AND ALSO WITHIN PARTS OF THE INTERIOR VALLEYS. THE STRONGEST  
LOW/MIDLEVEL FLOW WILL MOVE OVER THE CENTRAL/NORTHERN CA COAST AND  
VALLEYS DURING THE DAY AND EVENING, AND OVER THE SOUTHERN CA COASTAL  
REGION LATER TUESDAY NIGHT. GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL WILL BE  
POSSIBLE WITH LOW-TOPPED CONVECTION ACROSS THESE REGIONS. AT THIS  
TIME, IT APPEARS THAT CONVECTION WILL BE QUITE SHALLOW, WHICH IS  
EXPECTED TO LIMIT THE ORGANIZED SEVERE THREAT. HOWEVER, TRENDS WILL  
CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED REGARDING POTENTIAL FOR A LOW-PROBABILITY  
WIND AND BRIEF-TORNADO THREAT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STRONG SYSTEM.  
   
..MISSOURI VALLEY/MIDWEST
 
 
THE MID/UPPER-LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH INITIALLY NEAR THE EASTERN  
GREAT BASIN AND FOUR CORNERS REGION WILL EJECT RAPIDLY NORTHEASTWARD  
AND TAKE ON A NEGATIVE TILT ON TUESDAY, REACHING THE  
CENTRAL/NORTHERN PLAINS BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING, AND THE  
UPPER MIDWEST/GREAT LAKES BY EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. IN RESPONSE TO  
THIS SHORTWAVE TROUGH, A DEEP SURFACE LOW WILL CONSOLIDATE ACROSS  
THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS, AND THEN MOVE ACROSS THE DAKOTAS. A  
TRAILING COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS PARTS OF THE GREAT PLAINS.  
 
LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE RETURN ALONG/AHEAD OF THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO  
REMAIN QUITE LIMITED, BUT STRONG ASCENT AND MODEST MOISTENING ABOVE  
THE SURFACE COULD SUPPORT ELEVATED CONVECTION FROM VERY LATE  
AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY NIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF THE MO VALLEY AND UPPER  
MIDWEST. THE SIGNAL FOR ROBUST CONVECTION IS CURRENTLY MUTED, WITH  
THE GENERAL THUNDERSTORM AREA REFLECTING A BROAD REGION OF LOW BUT  
NONZERO POTENTIAL. WITH STRONG LOW/MIDLEVEL FLOW AND ROBUST DIURNAL  
HEATING/MIXING EXPECTED ACROSS THE WARM SECTOR, THE ENVIRONMENT WILL  
BE CONDITIONALLY FAVORABLE FOR STRONG TO LOCALLY SEVERE GUSTS, IF  
DEEP CONVECTION CAN BE SUSTAINED.  
 
..DEAN.. 02/16/2026  
 

 
 
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