PREPARED BY THE EXPERT ACCUWEATHER METEOROLOGIST TEAM
Coordinated by Meteorologist Jacob Hinson
NEXT SCHEDULED UPDATE
7:00 AM June 19, 2025
Key messages
Central and Eastern U.S.: A heat wave will move into the central and eastern United States late this week; locations like Denver are expected to see their temperatures rise above 100 degrees.
Central Plains and Midwest: Severe thunderstorms will advance into the central Plains and Midwest Wednesday, extending to the East Coast by Thursday evening. These storms can bring damaging winds, flooding downpours, hail and a few tornadoes.
Heat Wave Set to Strain Resources and Impact Business Operations Across Central and Eastern US
A strong ridge will bake the central U.S. toward the end of this week. Extreme heat will increase risk for heat-related illnesses, especially for those spending time outdoors. The heat is also expected to expand into much of the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast early next week.
Extreme Heat Expansion: A persistent heat dome will shift from the Rockies to the Northeast through next week, delivering the year's most intense heat, with widespread highs in the 90s and some cities nearing or exceeding 100°F—10 to 20 degrees above historical averages.
Energy and Safety Concerns: AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will run 5-15 degrees above the air temperature due to high humidity, sharply increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses and energy demand surges. Cooling centers and heat-related protocols may need activation.
High-Impact Zones: Key urban centers including Denver, Detroit, Washington, D.C., New York City and potentially Boston will face multiday streaks of 90°F+ temperatures, placing prolonged stress on infrastructure, transportation and health systems.
Limited Relief from Storms: Thunderstorm activity will be sparse under the heat dome. Isolated complexes may affect parts of the Great Lakes, upstate New York and New England, but much of the region will remain hot and dry, exacerbating heat impacts.
Operational Disruption Risk: Executives should anticipate elevated HVAC loads, employee health and safety issues, and possible supply chain and logistics interruptions. Precautionary measures are advised for facilities, personnel and service delivery through at least June 25.
Multiple Rounds of Severe Storms Threaten Central and Eastern US Through Week’s End
Severe weather will be a persistent threat in the coming days across the central U.S., shifting east as the week progresses. There will be a risk for damaging winds, hail, flooding and a few tornadoes from Wednesday through Thursday.
Daily Storm Risk Expands: Severe thunderstorms will continue to erupt daily from the north-central U.S. to the East Coast, increasing the risk for tornadoes, damaging winds and flash flooding through late week.
Metro Areas Most At Risk: Wednesday's threat zone includes major cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Kansas City, Indianapolis and St. Louis. There is some risk for isolated flash flooding from stronger thunderstorms in the East as well, targeting the I-95 corridor between New York City and Washington, D.C.
Elevated Tornado Risk Wednesday: The highest tornado potential will center from east-central Illinois to northwestern Ohio, including much of Indiana and southern Michigan. Low cloud cover and rain may obscure some tornadoes, increasing the threat to lives and property.
Thursday Targets Northeast: The severe weather threat will shift to the Northeast Thursday, spanning from Vermont and New Hampshire to the Carolinas and includes Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York’s Hudson Valley.
Business Impacts Expected: Anticipate the potential for delays in air and ground travel, possible facility disruptions and storm damage. Executives should activate contingency plans across logistics, operations and workforce safety in all affected regions.
Daily Executive Weather Briefing is issued each morning at 7:00 a.m. ET to raise awareness of potential high-impact weather events that our team of expert meteorologists is monitoring for the week ahead. They are meant to be quickly consumable, raising awareness of weather events that may affect your activities and your business so that you can plan ahead and make better decisions. The current edition of our Latest Extreme Weather Forecast will offer additional insights as needed. For over 60 years, AccuWeather has refined the theory, art and science of weather prediction, which combined with our forecasts of superior accuracy, saves lives, protects property and helps people and companies make the best weather-impacted decisions.
This document contains information that is confidential, proprietary, and/or the exclusive property of AccuWeather and is only for the exclusive use of AccuWeather clients that signed up for this newsletter and report. Any unauthorized dissemination, use, distribution, or reproduction of this document and its contents is strictly prohibited. AccuWeather has no liability to any person for weather events predicted or reported. The reader of this report is solely responsible for his or her own actions in the face of adverse weather.
