Forecasters issue rare high-risk warning for central U.S as tornadoes loom large
Meteorologists are sounding the alarm for a potentially devastating tornado outbreak set to sweep across the central United States, with millions in the crosshairs from Texas to the Dakotas.
“We are expecting a serious severe weather outbreak,” warned Jennifer Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The Storm Prediction Center has issued a dire forecast, predicting multiple strong, long-tracked tornadoes, large hail, and severe thunderstorm gusts over parts of the south-central Plains from this afternoon through the evening.
Rarely seen high-risk warnings have been issued for portions of Oklahoma and Kansas, including the Oklahoma City metro area, underscoring the severity of the impending weather event.
“A high risk is the highest-tier hazardous weather forecast,” explained Matthew Elliott, warning coordination meteorologist for the center. “We typically average only one or two a year.”
The looming threat comes just a week after a deadly tornado outbreak claimed four lives in Oklahoma, serving as a grim reminder of the destructive power of these natural phenomena.
“We’re really expecting this to be a significant outbreak,” Elliott emphasized, with the potential for long-track, intense tornadoes.
The ominous weather pattern, fueled by a strong and strengthening low-pressure system, is already manifesting with high winds over portions of Colorado and the High Plains, a prelude to the tornadoes and hail anticipated later in the day.
“Preparations are underway,” reported CNN, noting that McConnell Air Force Base near Wichita, Kansas, is relocating aircraft to safer locations. Meanwhile, schools in the danger zone are taking precautions, with Oklahoma City Public Schools and several metro-area districts canceling all after-school and evening activities.
As communities brace for the impending onslaught, the central U.S. finds itself on high alert, confronting the capricious and potentially devastating forces of nature.
