Severe storms, tornadoes threaten central U.S. this week

Just days after deadly tornadoes ripped across the central United States, killing eight people in Oklahoma and Michigan, another significant severe weather outbreak was forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday, meteorologists warned.

“This could be the largest outbreak of severe weather so far this year,” said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Adam Douty in an online forecast.

Residents in the risk area should have more than one way to receive warnings and to have a plan in place, as severe storms could last into the night, including a chance of dangerous nocturnal tornadoes. This is of particular concern, as nighttime tornadoes are twice as deadly as daytime tornadoes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Tuesday’s tornado threat

Scattered severe thunderstorms are forecast on Tuesday from the southern Plains into the southern Great Lakes vicinity, the Storm Prediction Center said. “All severe hazards are possible, including large to very large hail and strong tornadoes, particularly across portions of Missouri and Illinois,” the center warned.

Metro areas, including Dallas, St. Louis, Oklahoma City and Indianapolis could all be impacted by the storms, AccuWeather said.

As for timing, the strong to severe thunderstorms will likely begin across the southern Plains during the early afternoon, while the activity across the mid-Mississippi Valley begins in the late afternoon/early evening, the Storm Prediction Center said.

Storms are expected to persist through the overnight hours, AccuWeather said. Approaching severe weather will be difficult to see. It is important to have multiple ways to be notified of severe weather warnings.

This severe threat could last through the night in spots from the western Great Lakes to Texas, according to Weather.com. There will also be a threat of locally flooding rain.

Wednesday’s tornado threat

There will likely be thunderstorms in progress in the morning from the eastern Great Lakes to the Ohio Valley to eastern Texas, Weather.com reported.

In general, Wednesday’s primary severe threat will be damaging thunderstorm wind gusts from parts of the Appalachians and interior Northeast to the lower Mississippi Valley. But a few tornadoes are still possible, along with locally heavy rain, Weather.com said.

Floods also a concern

The risk for flash flooding will also accompany the severe thunderstorm risk across much of the Plains and Ohio Valley after numerous rounds of storms during the first week of March saturated the ground, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Elizabeth Danco, in an online forecast.

Some 1-3 inches of rainfall is possible, with higher totals likely in areas where slow-moving storms train over the same spot for a few hours, Weather.com reported.

“Levels on some rivers and streams in the region could also rise as a result of the stormy stretch,” Danco said.

How to stay safe in severe weather

Have multiple ways of receiving official watches and warnings from the National Weather Service, including from your smartphone and from NOAA weather radio, according to Weather.com.

Make sure your phone and NOAA weather radio are fully charged and notifications are turned on, in case a warning is issued while you’re sleeping.

“Before a storm threatens, determine where the best place to take shelter is when a warning is issued where you live. If you live in a manufactured home, you should consider where the nearest community storm shelter or nearby home is that you can get to quickly,” Weather.com recommends in an online forecast.