Indianapolis, Indiana – Severe weather is set to impact the Midwest as strong storms swept through the Plains region, spawning multiple tornadoes that resulted in casualties, destroyed buildings, and caused power outages affecting thousands of households.
According to the Weather Prediction Center, a large portion of the central and eastern United States, stretching from Texas to Wyoming and reaching as far east as Pennsylvania and the Carolinas, faces the risk of severe thunderstorms. More than 12 million people in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky are at an “enhanced risk” of experiencing storms capable of producing large hail and strong tornadoes.
Cities like Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Louisville are among those marked as high-risk areas for severe weather on Tuesday, as highlighted by the Storm Prediction Center. The weather system is expected to persist in the Ohio Valley region before expanding into the Tennessee Valley and the mid to lower Mississippi Valley as another robust system approaches, as forecasted by the National Weather Service.
The aftermath of the severe weather in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri left over 43,000 people without power, with Oklahoma seeing the most significant number of outages at over 17,000 due to the storms that hit the state overnight. Furthermore, windy conditions and lower humidity have raised concerns about critical fire weather in southeast Colorado, the Texas/Oklahoma Panhandle region, and much of New Mexico.
Northeastern Oklahoma experienced significant damage as two school districts in Bartlesville and Barnsdall had to cancel classes due to power outages and road closures caused by the powerful tornado that ravaged both communities on Monday night. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported damage to 30-40 homes in Barnsdall, where a natural gas leak was also reported.
In other Plains states, including Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Tennessee, tornadoes were also reported due to the severe weather system that developed on Monday afternoon and into the evening. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center had issued warnings for severe weather across a vast area spanning from Texas to the Dakotas, resulting in the series of tornadoes that struck the region.
As residents in the affected areas face the aftermath of the severe weather, authorities are advising on safety measures during tornado warnings, emphasizing the importance of seeking shelter, avoiding windows, and protecting oneself from flying debris to increase survival chances during such emergencies.