It can help, but not always. I.e. if a line goes through a sunny area west of us, it can keep up intensity. But clouds/rain mix the atmosphere a bit. What causes bad storms is when rapidly rising warm air cools and breaks through the warm cap, the updrafts get a lot worse and winds/rotation/hail picks up. I think any cap in the atmosphere above us right now will break. The only question is where. NWS 1) is certain conditions are right; 2) not sure when/where the storms will go severe, but they will, and 3) right now, have potential to be mesoscale (rotating, non linear cells even within a broken line) which is worse for tornadoes and hail. Most of the bets are still east of us, but again hopefully the rain/clouds help. But if the shear is too great, even that isn't gonna work for long.
Should have a severe TS/tornado watch issued once the line forms for good - expect it round noon-2 p.m.
I like a good drama, and while NWS is tamping down sensationalist lingo in their current forecasts, I found this one interesting from this morning:
.SPECIAL SAFETY NOTICE...
Given we are coming out of the cool season and have not seen severe
storms of the magnitude expected since May 2021, that Spring Break
has just ended for many students, and this is a Monday with all the
normal chaos that brings for many, we put special attention on
safety and preparedness for this event. In addition, the timing of
the storms around the end of the school day and in rush hour
presents problems, especially if large hail (2+ inch diameter) and
tornadoes develop. In general, it is much safer to remain in a solid
building with a foundation rather than being in a vehicle, mobile
home, or other light structures. Once the storms develop, they
should quickly move through your area, so the best bet may be to
stay in place for an hour or two and not be caught out commuting.
More later, if needed...