Forecasters are warning of potentially deadly flash flooding, high-magnitude tornadoes, and large hail that could impact parts of the Midwest and South on Wednesday. Tornado warnings have already been issued near cities like Joplin and Columbia in Missouri, signaling the start of what is expected to be a more intense period of severe weather. The combination of daytime heating, an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear, and moisture from the Gulf is creating a supercharged storm system.
The National Weather Service has issued warnings for significant, life-threatening flash flooding starting Wednesday and continuing through Saturday, with the possibility of over a foot of rain in some areas. The upcoming deluge is described as a once-in-a-generation event with historic rainfall totals and impacts.
Residents in Michigan are still recovering from an ice storm over the weekend as the threat of floods looms in other regions. Thunderstorms with heavy rain are forecast for parts of Texas, the lower Mississippi Valley, and the Ohio Valley, posing a risk of dangerous flash floods that could sweep away cars. Some areas could see up to 15 inches of rain in the next week, with certain regions facing a heightened risk of flooding.
Tornadoes have already been sighted in Kansas and Oklahoma, causing damage but no reported injuries. More tornado warnings have been issued in Missouri, along with expectations of high winds across the Midwest. The severe weather outlook covers a vast area from Texas to Minnesota and Maine, with strong and long-lasting tornadoes likely in the highest-risk zones.
Overall, more than 90 million people are at risk of severe weather, and about 2.5 million are in a high-risk zone. Residents in these areas are advised to stay informed and take necessary precautions to stay safe during the impending storms.
The region most vulnerable to severe weather on Wednesday includes areas of west Tennessee, such as Memphis; northeast Arkansas; the southeast corner of Missouri; and parts of western Kentucky and southern Illinois. The Storm Prediction Center anticipates a tornado outbreak on Wednesday, with the likelihood of multiple long-track EF3+ tornadoes, which are considered to be some of the most powerful tornadoes on the Enhanced Fujita scale used to measure intensity.
A slightly lower risk for severe weather on Wednesday encompasses regions that include Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Louisville in Kentucky, and Little Rock in Arkansas. Dallas, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Nashville in Tennessee are also at risk.
In the Upper Midwest, a wintry mix has caused havoc. Crews in Michigan are working to restore power following an ice storm over the weekend that downed trees and power poles. As of Wednesday morning, over 135,000 customers in northern Michigan and 11,000 in northern Wisconsin were still without power, according to PowerOutage.us, a platform that monitors outages nationwide.
Schools in several counties in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula have been closed as authorities clear roads with chainsaws and drivers flock to gas stations. More wintry weather is on the horizon, with a mix of sleet and freezing rain expected to create hazardous road conditions in parts of Michigan and Wisconsin through Wednesday, as forecasted by the weather service.
Additionally, heavy, wet snow is predicted to continue into Wednesday in the eastern Dakotas and parts of Minnesota.
Contributions to this report were made by Associated Press writers Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City, Isabella O’Malley in Philadelphia, Ed White in Detroit, Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis, and Hallie Golden in Seattle.
