Breakfast Brief: Severe storm threat spreads east

Severe storms target the Great Lakes today, fueled by a bubble of abnormally high heat and moisture stretching from the Central Plains through the Ohio River Valley.

The same system that triggered strong to severe thunderstorms across the Plains and Midwest on Monday will progressively move into the Great Lakes today. It will kick off a few rounds of unstable weather affecting cities like Milwaukee, Wis., Chicago, and Detroit. Damaging wind and isolated large hail are the primary threats.

A big contributor to these storms is an expansive and intense heat wave that is currently spreading from the Midwest into the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley. Today, temperatures will be in the 90s, and even a few highs will be around 100 degrees for cities like Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and Louisville, Ky. Daily high temperatures today are possible before storms cool things down in the afternoon.

Tropical Storm Hone will continue to move away from Hawaii, but a second, and possibly third, tropical system is expected to approach the Aloha State later this week. By Thursday evening, Hurricane Gilma, which is currently at hurricane strength, will likely bring another round of impacts as it nears the archipelago. Hot on Gilma's heels is Tropical Storm Hector, which may also approach Hawaii by early next week.

The Atlantic remains quiet and free of any tropical system threats.

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