Some devastating tornadoes leveled homes while destroying parts of the states of Iowa and Nebraska, and the dangerous storm threat could become more intense this Saturday as those storms that produce more hurricanes pose a major risk from Michigan to Texas.
The Elkhorn area of Omaha, Nebraska, one of the hardest hit communities after severe storms hit parts of the Plains and the South early Friday afternoon.
A strong tornado swept away homes in its path, while first responders were searching for trapped or injured people, local authorities said Friday during a press conference.
On the other hand, in Iowa, according to the National Weather Service, a large tornado was reported in the small town of Minden.
The threat of severe weather is expected to continue through Sunday, with Saturday possibly being the most dangerous day. Strong tornadoes are likely from Nebraska to Texas, including Dallas, Austin, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City and Wichita.
A tornado watch is in effect for parts of western Oklahoma and northeast Texas until 1 p.m., according to the Storm Prediction Center. Hail could be the size of tennis balls, with storms packing winds up to 70 mph and the threat of tornadoes rising as the morning wears on. The watch includes Altus, Oklahoma and Childress, Texas.
Additionally, four people in Iowa’s Pottawattanie County have been reported injured in the storm and have already received medical attention, county emergency management officials announced in a news release early Saturday morning.
About 120 homes and businesses were damaged in Pottawattamie County, where Minden is located and 90,000 people live. “Preliminary information indicates varying degrees of damage,” emergency officials said.
Two people in Omaha received medical treatment for minor injuries after a tornado devastated the Elkhorn area on Friday.
“We believe the injuries were very few because the warning systems in the city of Omaha and Douglas County were very effective,” said Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer. “We weren’t hit by a sudden storm. “People had warned about this, which saved lives.”
Emergency officials in Nebraska’s Shelby and Douglas counties said there were no reports of injuries there after several hurricanes hit their communities on Friday. However, officials noted that the storms left significant property damage and residents were displaced.
Just outside Lincoln, Nebraska, a tornado tore off the roofs of homes and crossed part of I-80. Several train cars were derailed near Waverly after a tornado hit, according to a railroad spokesman.
For her part, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation to support storm recovery efforts in Potttawarramie County.
Likewise, at least two tornadoes were observed in Texas on Friday afternoon. A video posted on social media showed an alleged tornado crossing a large field northeast of Waco, CNN reported.
On Friday, there were nearly 80 reports of tornadoes in at least five states, many of them confirmed by the weather service or through storm-chasing images.
Threat for this Saturday
More than 50 million people are under the threat of severe weather on Saturday, from the Southern Plains to the Great Lakes region.
“A complex, but potentially significant, severe weather episode is expected on Saturday,” said the Weather Prediction Center.
Major storms are possible beginning in the afternoon in parts of the southern and central Plains, where there is a level 4 and 5 risk for severe thunderstorms. The biggest challenges of storms are widespread, damaging wind gusts, hail the size of baseballs, and strong tornadoes.
“Several strong tornadoes will be likely, and some long-track EF3+ tornadoes (winds between 136 and 165 mph) will be possible,” the Storm Prediction Center announced.
The risk of tornadoes could rise considerably in the late afternoon and evening hours with “multiple strong tornadoes” possible, according to the prediction center.
Damaging storms are likely to develop outside the highest danger area across a huge area of the United States, from the Great Lakes to southern Texas.
Rain could be responsible this Saturday
Some areas could see almost 5 inches of rain in a short period and flash flooding could occur. A handful of sites caught under numerous rounds of heavy rain could see totals near the 8-inch mark.
However, there is a level 3 of 4 risk of excessive rainfall for much of Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and smaller places in Kansas and Texas. Heavy rain could cause streams to overflow and flood roads.
Possible storms on Sunday
Damaging storms are possible from Texas to Wisconsin on Sunday. But the exact timing, extent and strength of the storms will largely depend on Saturday night’s storms.
Especially, areas from northeast Texas to southern Iowa and western Illinois are more likely to experience damaging storms that could cause strong wind gusts and large hail. Additionally, one or two isolated tornadoes are possible.
Heavy rain and flooding are likely, particularly in areas of the Lower Mississippi Valley.
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