A warming climate is increasing the potential for severe thunderstorms across Michigan, particularly during spring months, according to a report by Climate Central. The report linked the increase to changes in "convective available potential energy," a measure of atmospheric instability that contributes to the development of thunderstorms with the potential to produce tornadoes, damaging winds and hail. The most significant increases occur during the spring season when the atmosphere is already volatile. The increase in thunderstorm potential is strongest across parts of the Midwest, Ohio Valley and South. This shift aligns with research showing that severe weather risk is shifting eastward from the Great Plains to more densely populated regions of the Midwestern and Southeast.