Meteorologist Max Schuster is warning that the United States is moving into what he described as a “massive severe weather event,” with the latest forecast showing six to seven days of significant severe weather stretching across the central part of the country.

In his latest forecast for Max Velocity – Severe Weather Center, Schuster said the setup will begin with more focused storm chances across the Great Plains and Midwest before expanding into a broader, long-duration pattern that could reach from Texas into the Midwest and the upper Mississippi Valley by early next week.

The concern, according to Schuster, is not just one dangerous day, but a repeating pattern of storms capable of producing damaging winds, very large hail and tornadoes across multiple states.

“This new forecast just took a serious turn,” Schuster’s forecast suggests in both tone and detail, as the severe weather threat grows larger and more organized with each passing day.

A Multi-Day Pattern Begins To Expand

Schuster said the first part of the active stretch centers on Friday, when the severe weather threat continues across the central Plains and Midwest.

According to his breakdown, a level 2 out of 5 slight risk covers areas including Des Moines and Kansas City, while a lower-end marginal threat stretches toward Wichita, Omaha and St. Louis.

The main threats on Friday are expected to be damaging winds between 45 and 65 mph and large to very large hail, with hailstones possibly reaching the size of baseballs in some storms.

Schuster also said the tornado threat should not be ignored, even if it remains on the lower end. He said he expects the Storm Prediction Center may eventually outline a tornado risk, especially somewhere near or just south of Des Moines if conditions come together.

The important point here is that Friday does not look like a quiet bridge into the weekend. It looks like part of the opening act for a much larger severe weather pattern, with supercells possible and confidence increasing that some storms could become significant.

Saturday Could Bring Teacup-Size Hail And A Stronger Tornado Risk

By Saturday, Schuster said the severe weather threat expands across a much larger zone, including most of Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, as well as parts of Missouri.

He said the setup will still favor damaging winds and very large hail, but the tornado risk will begin to increase as the pattern becomes more organized.

The Storm Prediction Center, according to Schuster, mentioned the possibility of hailstones larger than teacups, which would mean hail around 3 inches in diameter or larger. That kind of hail can shatter windshields, damage roofs and make driving dangerous even before tornado warnings are issued.

Schuster said the greatest concern on Saturday appears to be across Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska, where storms may become more organized during the afternoon and evening.

He also warned that some of the strongest storms could continue into the nighttime hours, creating a more dangerous situation for people who may be asleep when warnings are issued.

That is one of the most serious aspects of this forecast. A daytime tornado threat is dangerous enough, but a nocturnal tornado threat raises the risk because people are less likely to see the storm coming and may not hear alerts unless they have multiple warning systems ready.

Sunday And Monday Are The Days Schuster Is Watching Closely

Schuster said Sunday and Monday are the two days that currently raise the biggest concern, with both capable of producing significant severe weather outbreaks.

For Sunday, he pointed to an enhanced risk across Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas, with a broader slight risk stretching from central Minnesota back into Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

He said damaging winds, very large hail and strong tornadoes will all be on the table, and he described Sunday as a day with a “high ceiling” for tornadoes if the storm mode becomes favorable.

The phrase matters because it suggests the ingredients may be present for a more serious event, but the final outcome will depend on how storms form and organize. If storms remain messy or clustered, the tornado risk may be somewhat limited; if discrete supercells form in the right environment, the threat could increase sharply.

Schuster said a strong low-pressure system may develop around Kansas and Nebraska, with pressure around 994 millibars, which he described as a very strong storm system for the central Plains.

That kind of setup can help strengthen wind shear, pull warm and humid air northward, and provide the lift needed for storms to develop. In plain terms, it gives the atmosphere more of the structure it needs to support rotating storms.

Monday May Be More Widespread

While Sunday may carry a more concerning ceiling for isolated but intense supercells, Schuster said Monday could become the more widespread severe weather day.

He pointed to a large slight risk from Michigan into Texas, with another enhanced risk across Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri.

Very large hail, damaging winds and several tornadoes appear possible on Monday, according to Schuster, but the storm mode may be different than Sunday. Instead of more isolated supercells, storms may grow into lines or clusters, spreading the damaging wind threat across a broader area.

That difference matters for people trying to understand the risk. Sunday may depend heavily on whether individual storms can stay separated long enough to produce stronger tornadoes, while Monday may bring a larger footprint of severe storms affecting more communities.

Schuster said areas from Texas into Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois should closely monitor the forecast, with storms potentially approaching Chicago and reaching down toward Houston, Louisiana and Arkansas by later Monday.

This is where the pattern begins to look less like a typical one-day Plains event and more like a rolling severe weather stretch that keeps shifting east and south while new storms develop behind the previous round.

The Low-Level Jet Could Raise The Tornado Threat

One of the key ingredients Schuster focused on was the low-level jet, a ribbon of faster winds above the ground that can help feed storms and increase rotation.

He said the low-level winds are not especially impressive at the beginning of the pattern, which may limit the tornado threat early on. But by Saturday, Sunday and Monday, those winds become more favorable, especially as they turn more out of the south and southwest.

Schuster said Sunday has his attention for a higher-end tornado potential across the central Plains and parts of the interior Midwest, including Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and Nebraska.

He also said Monday could feature two areas of concern: one across Minnesota and Wisconsin, and another from Nebraska and Kansas down into Texas and Oklahoma.

That kind of setup requires people across a wide region to pay attention not only to the forecast category for their area, but also to the timing. Severe storms may arrive in one state during the afternoon, another after dark, and another overnight into the next morning.

The overall message is simple but important: this is not a forecast people should check once and forget. It is a pattern that will need daily updates.

Severe Weather May Continue Into Tuesday And Beyond

Schuster said the severe weather risk may continue into Tuesday, with a slight risk stretching from central Illinois back toward Oklahoma City.

He noted that if a low-pressure system remains in the Midwest, a localized tornado threat could develop near parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and the Chicago area.

The forecast becomes more uncertain by Wednesday and Thursday, but Schuster said additional severe weather may still be possible as storms remain caught between larger pressure systems across the country.

That uncertainty does not make the forecast less serious. It simply means the exact locations and timing will need to be refined as the pattern gets closer.

For now, Schuster’s main warning is that the country is entering a very active severe weather stretch, and that several days in a row could bring storms capable of damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes.

It is also a good reminder that severe weather preparation does not need to be complicated. People in the risk zones should make sure weather alerts are enabled, identify a safe place before storms arrive, protect vehicles from large hail when possible, and avoid relying on outdoor sirens alone, especially at night.

Schuster’s forecast is not built around hype so much as repetition: multiple days, multiple regions and multiple hazards. That is what makes this setup concerning.

A single severe weather day can be disruptive, but six or seven days of recurring storm chances can wear people down, create repeated cleanup problems, and increase the risk that someone misses a warning because the forecast has become background noise. For the Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes and parts of the South, the next several days will require attention.