51 million people in northern Iowa, Louisiana and Louisiana face a dangerous day. Large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes and severe weather are all possible Friday afternoon through the night.
The states most at risk of strong EF2+ long track tornadoes are located from northeast Iowa to southern Arkansas, northern Mississippi and northern Mississippi. This includes cities such as Des Moines and Davenport, Little Rock, Memphis, and Little Rock.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for eastern Iowa, northeast Missouri and northwest Illinois. It also applies to southwestern Wisconsin. According to the agency, tornadoes are possible as well as widespread hail up to apples size and wind gusts of up to 70 mph.
In a weather update, the National Weather Service stated that severe weather, including large hail and damaging wind gusts, is expected between the Midwest, Lower Mississippi Valley, and today.
A radar showed at least one tornado in south Iowa, where a tornado warning was in effect until 1:30 p.m. CT.
According to the National Weather Service, severe thunderstorms are possible with flash flooding possible from Lower Mississippi Valley to the Midwest on Friday.
The agency stated that the Storm Prediction Center had issued a Moderate risk (level 4/5) for severe thunderstorms in parts of southeast Iowa and northwest Illinois. It also issued a separate area from northeast Arkansas up to western Kentucky to highlight the concern.
According to the National Weather Service, storms will move at 55 mph and continue into the night. This will make for extremely dangerous conditions.
Flash floods could be caused by intense rainfall of up to 3 to 5-inches. Friday night is the most dangerous time for flooding in “the Ohio, Tennessee and Lower Mississippi valleys.”
Over the next few days, this major storm system will spread weather hazards throughout the eastern and central U.S.
The National Weather Service stated that the deepening low pressure system, responsible for most of the expected active weather, is expected to move northeast from the central Plains today. It will then enter the Great Lakes area by tonight. “A strong cold front attached to this system will clash with warm and humid air surging into the Lower/Mid-Mississippi Valley, sparking numerous thunderstorms from the Midwest to eastern Texas.”
Storms will then travel eastward Friday night to the Ohio Valleys, Tennessee Valleys, “before weakening early on Saturday across the Mid-Atlantic or Southeast.”
The National Weather Service stated that residents should remain aware of weather conditions and have several options to receive weather alerts.
The widespread effects of the deep low pressure system’s powerful winds on a large area in the eastern and central U.S. are expected to be severe.
Through Friday night, you can also expect damaging winds across the Great Plains, the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valleys, Tennessee, and Ohio valleys.
The National Weather Service warned that “strong winds and low relative humidity will create conditions ripe to encourage extreme fire behavior across both the central and southern Plains.” Wind gusts of up to 60 mph could cause tree damage and power outages in this region.
