983  
ACUS02 KWNS 200554  
SWODY2  
SPC AC 200552  
 
DAY 2 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
1252 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2026  
 
VALID 211200Z - 221200Z  
 
...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS  
OF SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO...NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO...AND THE FAR  
WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES...  
   
..SUMMARY
 
 
ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF THE CENTRAL AND  
SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  
   
..SYNOPSIS
 
 
A MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE WILL TRANSLATE EASTWARD ACROSS THE CENTRAL  
ROCKIES ON D2/THURSDAY. AT THE SURFACE, A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE  
THROUGH THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS WHILE A SECONDARY STATIONARY FRONT  
REMAINS IN PLACE FROM THE CAROLINAS THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY  
INTO OZARK PLATEAU. A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS CAPABLE OF LARGE  
HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THE FRONT RANGE IN  
COLORADO.  
   
..CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
 
 
UPSLOPE FLOW INTO EASTERN COLORADO WILL COMBINE WITH MODEST  
UPPER-LEVEL FORCING FOR ASCENT TO ALLOW FOR ISOLATED TO WIDELY  
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE HIGH TERRAIN. STEEP LAPSE RATES,  
MLCAPE 500-1000 J/KG, AND DEEP LAYER SHEAR AROUND 30-35 KTS FROM  
SOUTH OF I-70 WILL ALLOW FOR A FEW BETTER ORGANIZED CELLS CAPABLE OF  
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND. THIS THREAT WILL DECREASE WITH EASTERN  
EXTENT INTO KS/OK WHERE STRENGTHENING MLCIN WILL TEMPER THE SEVERE  
THREAT DOWNSTREAM.  
 
ADDITIONAL AREAS OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE POSSIBLE  
ACROSS SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA INTO NORTHERN/CENTRAL TEXAS AND ACROSS FAR  
WESTERN TEXAS IN THE AFTERNOON. GENERALLY WEAK DEEP LAYER SHEAR  
SHOULD LIMIT THE SEVERE RISK. A FEW INSTANCES OF GUSTY WINDS AND  
SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE.  
   
..ELSEWHERE
 
 
WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN  
ROCKIES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS NEAR THE UPPER-LOW. WEAK MOISTURE  
AND LIMITED INSTABILITY WILL LIKELY KEEP STORMS SUB-SEVERE. WIDELY  
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE LIKELY SOUTH OF THE STATIONARY  
FRONT FROM THE CAROLINAS INTO THE TENNESSEE AND MISSISSIPPI VALLEYS.  
WHILE MARGINAL INSTABILITY WILL BE IN PLACE, WEAK DEEP LAYER SHEAR  
PROFILES WILL LEAD TO MORE DISORGANIZED STORMS AND LIMIT THE OVERALL  
SEVERE THREAT.  
 
..THORNTON.. 05/20/2026  
 

 
 
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