South-central US to face multi-day risk of severe weather, tornadoes this week
People across the south-central United States will need to remain on a heightened alert for rounds of severe thunderstorms to continue into the middle of the week.
It will be another active period of severe weather across the South Central states, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun.
Damaging winds, large hail, frequent lightning and downpours will be the most common characteristics of the storms that develop each day through Wednesday. However, there will be the risk of at least isolated tornadoes each day.
Nearly two dozen preliminary tornadoes were reported on Sunday from Texas to Nebraska. Most of the tornado activity occurred in Kansas.
A tornado near Great Bend, Kansas, on Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Photo/Stephen McAnulla Photography)
The multi-day risk of storms that can disrupt outdoor plans, slow travel and, even worse, inflict property damage will make it vital for residents and visitors to stay aware of rapidly changing weather conditions.
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Ahead of the storms, loose outdoor items should be secured or stowed away to prevent them from becoming dangerous projectiles in a thunderstorm's winds, and vehicles can be parked in garages or under carports to prevent costly hail damage.
Monday night
Severe storms that blossomed on Monday afternoon will continue to pound Kansas and neighboring Missouri on Monday night. More isolated severe weather is possible in West Texas.
McConnell Air Force Base officials ordered the evacuation of several aircraft as a precaution due to the possibility of severe weather impacting the Wichita, Kansas area.
A tornado-warned thunderstorm near Throckmorton, Texas, on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. (Photo/Blake Naftel)
Severe weather dangers, flood threat continue Tuesday to Thursday
"Tuesday and Wednesday may be big days for severe weather including strong tornadoes," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
The southern High Plains will again be a hot bed for severe weather from Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday night, with the threat for dangerous storms expanding farther east through Oklahoma City.
There is concern for heavy, gusty thunderstorms rumbling through areas near the Texas coast into Tuesday night, even though the majority of these storms may remain below severe limits.
Flooding downpours may become the biggest concern in these areas and others beginning on Tuesday and continuing through the balance of the week.
The threat for damaging storms will end across the southern High Plains while spreading eastward through the South Central states at midweek.
"The severe weather threat on both Wednesday and Thursday will shift away from the wide-open spaces of the High Plains to the more heavily-populated areas on the lower Plains and the Mississippi and Ohio valleys," Sosnowski said.
By Thursday, the threat of tornadoes may diminish although storms with damaging wind gusts, large hail and flooding rainfall may be substantial.
While the North Central states will largely be spared from severe storms this week, rounds of rain can keep rivers out of their banks and farmers out of fields.
Motorists with plans to travel in any of the areas at risk for heavy rain and severe weather this week should be prepared to face sudden reductions in visibility from downpours and blowing spray from other vehicles.
Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
