A multiday severe weather outbreak is moving through the nation’s midsection Today, with tornado watches in effect from North Texas through parts of the Midwest and storm activity already stretching as far north as Michigan. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has identified eastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, western Missouri and western Arkansas as the areas with the greatest risk of stronger tornadoes, including storms capable of reaching EF2 intensity or higher.
Tornado watches are in effect through 10 p.m. CST Today for two broad regions. The first covers eastern Oklahoma and North Texas, including the cities of Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Dallas. The second covers southwestern Iowa, eastern Kansas, northwestern Missouri and southeastern Nebraska, including Des Moines and Salina. Conditions in both areas are already favorable for damaging wind gusts, very large hail and tornadoes.
What happened Thursday night and what it set in motion
The outbreak did not begin Today. At least four tornadoes were either sighted or confirmed by radar Thursday night across the eastern Texas Panhandle, northwest Oklahoma and southern Kansas. One of those tornadoes, an EF2, killed two people in northwest Oklahoma. Damage was reported near Helena, Medford and Orienta, Oklahoma. Hail reaching 2.25 inches in diameter, roughly the size of a hen egg, was recorded in Hall County, Texas.
A tornado also struck the communities of Three Rivers and Union City in Michigan this afternoon, with activity continuing to develop across the Great Lakes region as the storm system pushed northeast. Cities across the broader risk zone Friday include Dallas, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City, Omaha, Des Moines, St. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee.
The threat extends through the weekend and into next week
The severe weather picture does not clear quickly. Saturday brings a continued risk of strong wind gusts and hail from the Ohio Valley and Appalachians south into central and eastern Texas. Sunday is expected to be largely quiet across the region…