Reports: Tornadoes reported in Oklahoma, Kansas as powerful storms blast central US
As of 1:55 a.m. CDT Thursday, the reports below are no longer being updated. Click here for a photos recap of the severe weather.
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Severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and isolated tornadoes will threaten lives and property over part of the central United States into early Thursday.
The risk of severe thunderstorms is forecast to extend from near the Big Bend area of Texas to northwestern Illinois.
Some of these same areas were struck with severe weather late Tuesday.
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12:35 a.m. CDT Thursday:
Heavy storms moving through Chicago overnight have left some roads flooded in the downtown area.
Motorists are reminded to never drive through floodwaters as the roadway underneath may be compromised and the water may be higher than it appears. If you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and find an alternate route.
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11:50 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
Severe storms are rolling through southeast Kansas and triggering extensive damage.
Law enforcement in Montgomery County report numerous utility poles down.
In the town of Edna, near the Kansas-Oklahoma border, a lumbar yard reportedly sustained damage and there are many trees down.
People in southwest Missouri, including Joplin, should be prepared for these violent storms to tear through within the next hour.
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10:45 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
In addition to triggering wind damage, hail and tornadoes, the severe storms rolling across the Plains have also unleashed enough rainfall to trigger flooding.
To the west of Oklahoma City, a portion of Route 66 is reportedly closed due to flooding. There are also reports of vehicles submerged on roads near Bethany, Oklahoma.
The storms have since exited the Oklahoma City metro area and have shifted into eastern portions of the state, threatening areas from Bartlesville to Tulsa and Muskogee.
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9:32 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
The line of damaging storms near and south of Kansas City has produced wind gusts over 80 mph, according to an NWS trained spotter. A tornado has also been confirmed near Belton, Missouri, and is tracking eastward at 55 mph.
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10:10 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A line of severe thunderstorms is tracking across eastern Kansas, approaching the border of Missouri. Some of thunderstorms embedded in this line are capable of spinning up tornadoes.
One of the storms capable of spinning up a tornado is passing just south of Kansas City and may impact some of the city's southern suburbs.
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8:50 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
While the worst of today's storms have focused on the central US, some damaging storms have tracked across northern Illinois, northern Indiana and southern Michigan.
One storm brought wind gusts over 70 mph in Coldwater, Michigan, with emergency managers reporting downed tree limbs and power outages around the town.
Hail was also common with these storms, generally ranging from the size of pennies to ping pong balls. However, some stronger storms brought hail as large as tennis balls.
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8:36 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
Emergency managers have confirmed that a tornado touched down east-southeast of Olivet, Kansas earlier this evening near the intersection of Interstate 35 and Beto Junction.
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7:55 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was tracking near Iowa City, Iowa. This storm also has a history of producing quarter-sized hail.
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7:36 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
Flooding was reported in and around Wichita, Kansas, earlier this evening when a line of strong thunderstorms moved through the region.
Street flooding in Hutchinson, Kansas, located northwest of Wichita, on Wednesday evening. (Photo/Kellie Swain)
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7:15 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
All operations have been suspended at Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City as severe thunderstorms approach the city.
People around Oklahoma City should avoid travel if possible as the storms move though.
Meanwhile, two thunderstorms are capable of producing tornadoes near the border of Oklahoma and Texas. One storm is just southeast of Chattanooga, Oklahoma, while the other one is located near Randlett, Oklahoma.
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6:50 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A dangerous, potentially rain-wrapped tornado is near Loveland, Oklahoma, and is tracking east toward Cookietown.
This is a particularly dangerous situation. People in this area need to seek shelter immediately.
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6:35 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A wind gust of 106 mph was measured near Frederick, Oklahoma, as a tornado-warned thunderstorm moved through the area. This is the highest wind gust recorded so far today.
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6:10 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A line of strong thunderstorms is approaching Wichita, Kansas, from the west. People in and around the city can expect gusty winds, heavy downpours and frequent lightning.
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5:54 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
One of the strongest storms in the Plains at this time is located near Alfalfa, Oklahoma. This storm has a history of producing tornadoes and is tracking east toward Albert, Oklahoma.
A wall cloud near Binger, Oklahoma, on Wednesday, May 2. (Photo/Blake Naftel)
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5:41 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A severe thunderstorm near Tolbert, Texas, has produced a possible funnel cloud, according to storm spotters in the area. This did not last long and no tornado touched down.
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5:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A new tornado watch has been issued for parts of northwestern Missouri and southern Iowa. This includes Kansas City.
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4:45 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A severe storm capable of producing a tornado is near Lone Wolf, Oklahoma, and is tracking east toward Hobart.
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4:12 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado is approaching Aurora, Kansas. This is the second day in a row that a tornado-warned thunderstorm impacted the area around Aurora.
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3:45 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
A line of severe thunderstorms has developed in central Kansas with storms producing hail as large as quarters and winds over 60 mph.
Pratt Industrial Airport clocked a wind gust over 90 mph as the severe storms blew through.
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3:10 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
All after-school activities at Oklahoma City public schools have been canceled due to the severe weather threat this afternoon.
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1:10 p.m. CDT Wednesday:
Tornado watches have been issued for portions of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. Storms that develop in this area will have the potential to produce intense tornadoes, hail larger than baseballs and wind gusts over 75 mph.
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