A barrage of thunderstorms tore across the central U.S. on Tuesday, whipping up tornadoes that destroyed homes and reportedly killed at least two people as of Wednesday morning. Now, the threat is heading east.
The National Weather Service expects widespread showers and thunderstorms to move into the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and Gulf Coast on Wednesday, bringing severe weather and a risk of flash flooding. Atmospheric conditions will remain favorable for strong storms, leading the Storm Prediction Center to place much of the region under a “Slight Risk” (Level 2 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms through Thursday.
A whopping 19 states from Texas to Pennsylvania are at least partially within that risk zone. The NWS states that affected areas can anticipate at least an isolated threat of large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. The risk of significant severe weather will be greatest from the Upper Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and from eastern Texas through the Lower Mississippi Valley.
A cold front moving behind the storms will push toward the East Coast late Wednesday into Thursday morning, bringing additional chances for thunderstorms. By Thursday afternoon, the front is expected to move offshore, ending the threat of severe weather for all areas except Florida.
“Total devastation” in Indiana and Illinois
Illinois and Indiana were battered by tornadoes and grapefruit-sized hail Tuesday afternoon as supercell thunderstorms tracked across northern Illinois and into northwestern Indiana. According to the NWS, supercell thunderstorms have persistent and deep rotation, making it easier for tornadoes to form within.
On Wednesday morning, Lori Postma, a spokesperson for the Lake Village Volunteer Fire Department in northwestern Indiana, told CNN two people had died and several were hospitalized with injuries related to the storms. Fire Department Chief Rob Churchill described the damage to property and infrastructure as “total devastation.”
The NWS suspects a six-inch-wide (15-centimeter-wide) hailstone found in Kankakee, Illinois, could break the state record for the largest hailstone, though further verification is needed. The current record holder is a 4.75-inch-wide (12-centimeter-wide) hailstone that fell in Minooka in June 2015.
These states were not the first to get hit by tornadoes this week, however. Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Southwest Michigan on Sunday following an outbreak that killed four people. Two of the victims have since been identified as Penni Jo Guthrie, 65, and Keri Ann Johnson, 54, both of Union City.
Marine heatwave fueling severe weather
A marine heatwave is rapidly developing in the Gulf of Mexico and is likely fueling thunderstorms forming over the Plains and Midwest, meteorologist Ben Noll reports for the Washington Post.
Winds blowing northward from the Gulf are funneling warm, moist air into Central states, providing essential ingredients for severe storm development, he explains. This could increase the chances of tornado formation as the storms trek east. The NWS has sustained or issued new tornado watches and warnings in parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Oklahoma.
If your area is at risk of severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes, be sure to monitor your local forecast for real-time updates. Fully charge smartphones and radios to ensure you can still receive updates if the power goes out. Before the storm arrives, identify the safest place to take shelter inside your home and where the nearest community storm shelter is. Taking these precautions will help keep you and your family safe when dangerous weather hits.
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