DES MOINES, Iowa — A developing storm system is being monitored for significant severe weather potential across the Midwest and Central Plains this Friday, May 15 through Saturday, May 16, 2026, with a broad zone of threat stretching from Minneapolis south through Des Moines, Chicago, St. Louis and down to Tulsa.
Forecasters updated this outlook on Sunday, May 10 and are flagging this system as the next major severe weather event to watch heading into the upcoming weekend.
Where the Threat Is Focused
The severe weather potential zone for Friday, May 15 through Saturday, May 16 covers a large swath of the Midwest and Central Plains:
- Minneapolis, Minnesota sits near the northern edge of the outlook zone and will be watching this system closely as it develops Friday.
- Des Moines, Iowa and Chicago, Illinois fall within the heart of the highlighted severe potential area for both Friday and Saturday.
- St. Louis, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma are included in the southern portion of the threat zone, where storms could fire ahead of the approaching low pressure system.
What Is Driving This System
A low pressure system tracking into the region from the west is the primary driver of severe weather potential for Friday, May 15 through Saturday, May 16. A cold front trailing south from this low will be the focus for storm development across the Midwest and Central Plains…