Central U.S. Faces Severe Storms and Flooding Risk This Week
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A series of severe thunderstorms are expected to wreak havoc across the central United States, with life-threatening storms forecasted to hit the heartland starting Tuesday night and into Wednesday. Millions from Texas to Ohio are warned to brace for damaging winds, hail, and flash floods.
The FOX Forecast Center reported that a powerful storm system, which has made its way across the Rockies, is intensifying as it moves into the central Plains. The National Weather Service noted that severe weather alerts have been issued, anticipating peak storm activity on Wednesday, when over 4.4 million people are at risk, particularly in major cities such as Memphis, Tennessee, and Jonesboro, Arkansas.
A level 4 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms has been established for several states, with the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) indicating that conditions could lead to dangerous tornadoes, some potentially rated EF2 or higher. The SPC projected that storms will initiate early Wednesday morning across parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri before spreading eastward.
“We are expecting storm development to accelerate throughout the day,” said a meteorologist at the FOX Forecast Center. “These thunderstorms could lead to extremely dangerous conditions.”
In addition, significant flash flood risks are also forecasted for the Mississippi and Ohio valleys with repeated storms potentially leading to rainfall totals exceeding 5-8 inches in certain areas. The risk of flooding is heightened due to already saturated grounds from previous rainfall and may pose serious dangers to residents.
“The potential for historic flash flooding is alarming,” warned the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky. “This is expected to be a multi-day event where the ground will be unable to absorb additional rainfall, setting the stage for a dangerous scenario.”
Compared to usual weather patterns in April, this spring has seen an unusual accumulation of severe storms, with more than 3,200 reports of tornadoes and damaging winds recorded nationwide in the first quarter of the year. As the week progresses, severe storms are expected to continue, with some areas under risks for both flooding and tornadoes until the end of the week.
Residents along the Mississippi River corridor, which includes Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee, should prepare for the possibility of receiving an entire spring’s worth of rainfall in just a few days.
“If the rainfall amounts reach our projections, we could experience a historic flash flooding event,” said a NWS spokesperson. “This is a situation that requires serious awareness and precautionary measures.”
