Millions under severe weather threat following destructive storms

Severe weather is threatening more than 35 million Americans from Wisconsin to Oklahoma on Friday, with the potential for destructive storms looming large. The areas at risk have already seen their fair share of damaging weather this week, making the situation even more concerning.

As the day progresses, there is a chance for discrete supercells to develop, bringing with them the possibility of very large hail, strong tornadoes, and destructive straight-line winds. The National Weather Service has upgraded the severe weather potential for parts of the Heartland, with a level 4 out of 5 “moderate risk” in effect for areas of northwest Oklahoma, central and eastern Kansas, and west-central Missouri. This includes major cities like Kansas City, Missouri, and Wichita and Topeka, Kansas.

The storms expected to develop later in the day have the potential to produce hail larger than baseball-size, extremely strong and damaging wind gusts of up to 90 mph, and even some tornadoes. The greatest risk for strong tornadoes is in central and southern Wisconsin through eastern Iowa, while the northern halves of Illinois and Missouri are at a higher risk for destructive winds.

Tornado watches have been issued for parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois, including cities like Madison, Milwaukee, Des Moines, and Davenport, with intense tornadoes, large hail up to 3.5″ in diameter, and damaging gusts up to 70 mph all possible. Additional tornado watches are in effect for parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri, including Kansas City, St. Louis, and Chicago, with the potential for intense tornadoes, significant wind gusts up to 75 mph, and scattered large hail.

So far, multiple tornadoes have been reported in Minnesota, and there has been a confirmed tornado on the ground in Illinois on Friday. Flash flooding is also a concern, with flood watches issued from Missouri to northern Michigan.

This severe weather outbreak follows flooding and tornadoes that have already impacted parts of the region this week. The NWS has confirmed at least 28 tornadoes across nine states, with Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois being hit the hardest. These storms are expected to bring additional rain to parts of Wisconsin and Michigan, which have already experienced widespread flooding and states of emergency being declared. The saturated soil in these areas could see an additional 1 to 3 inches of rain, leading to expanded river flooding and an increased risk of sinkholes.

Unfortunately, the severe weather has already claimed a life, as a 41-year-old man was killed by a lightning strike in a parking lot in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, on Wednesday evening. The situation remains fluid, and residents in the affected areas are urged to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions to stay safe.