Springfield, MO — A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect across parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, placing more than 2.5 million residents at risk through 7 a.m. CDT Sunday.
According to the National Weather Service in Springfield, the alert covers cities including Springfield, Joplin, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Muskogee, Tulsa, McAlester, and Branson. The region faces the potential for isolated tornadoes, hail up to ping-pong ball size, and wind gusts reaching 70 mph.
The watch, issued late Saturday, includes 1,120 schools and 78 hospitals in the impacted area. Meteorologists advise residents to secure outdoor objects, stay indoors during storms, and have multiple ways to receive weather warnings overnight…