Severe Weather Outbreak Threatens 65 Million Americans in At Least 15 States in Central US

Severe weather outbreak is threatening 65 million Americans in at least 15 states in the Central United States later this week, according to US weather authorities.

The looming storm system brings the risks of tornado threat, damaging wind gusts, and large hail from the mid-South to the Midwest by Friday, March 31.

The current threat level is two out of a four-tier scale, which could increase by the weekend.

Flash flooding is possible due to heavy rain brought by the system. Power outages is also expected due to the potential falling of power lines caused by strong winds.

Disruption to road traffic, public transport, and even air travel is imminent, as seen in recent storms across the country.

Over the past week, a severe thunderstorm spawned multiple tornadoes across the South, including in Mississippi and Georgia.

Central US Severe Weather Outbreak

(Photo : Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

AccuWeather meteorologists stated the severe storm will develop on Friday, threatening a large portion of the country, wherein at least 15 states will be affected.

Cities at risk include Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; St. Louis, Missouri; Peoria, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; and Indianapolis, Indiana.

The latest weather forecast warns that Central US severe weather outbreak will unleash violent storms, ranging from powerful winds to destructive tornadoes by the end of the weekday, the meteorologists said.

Forecasters highlighted that areas at risk from will span from Texas to Alabama in the South, as well as areas as far as Wisconsin and Michigan in the north.

Also Read: Severe Weather Warnings Issued for New Zealand Due to Heavy Rain and Snowfall

65 Million Americans at Risk

As mentioned earlier, more than 65 million Americans are at risk from the severe weather, according to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) of the National Weather Service (NWS), which forecasted on Wednesday, March 29, there is an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms across the Mid-Mississippi Valley to the mid-South.

In particular, the NWS - SPC forecast suggested that there is a potential for an intense and widespread severe storms across the said region from Friday afternoon until the evening hours of the same day, emphasizing that twisters and damaging gusts will be the main hazards of the adverse weather.

Mississippi, Georgia Tornadoes

The start of the country's meteorological spring on March 20 witnessed the occurrence of severe weather outbreak in different parts of the country, including in California, the West Coast, South, and Southeast US.

Over the past week, the Mississippi tornado killed at least 25 people, while the Georgia tornado caused several injured people.

A similar twister also killed at least one in Alabama.

Most of the victims died from falling trees or debris while they are still in their vehicles.

There were 20 tornadoes reported that rampaged through Mississippi and Alabama on the evening of March 24.

In western and central Mississippi, the storms ripped through houses, businesses, and farmlands, according to the NWS, as cited by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).