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A large swath of the central United States faces another round of dangerous storms and possible tornadoes on Friday (April 17), putting more than 22 million people in cities like Chicago, Kansas City, Tulsa, Wichita, and Madison at an enhanced risk for severe weather. The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) warns that states from Texas through the Midwest could see damaging wind, large hail, and strong tornadoes through tonight, with the most intense threat stretching from eastern Iowa into Wisconsin and northwest Illinois, as detailed in the SPC’s latest outlook.
Meteorologists expect severe thunderstorms to erupt this afternoon from the Upper Midwest southward across the lower Missouri Valley and into the central Great Plains. Early storms may bring large to giant hail and a few strong tornadoes, before severe winds gusting up to 90 mph become the main hazard by evening, according to the SPC’s convective outlook. Discrete supercells are forecast to develop ahead of an advancing cold front, particularly over parts of central and northern Wisconsin, eastern Iowa, and northwest Illinois, which could produce all types of severe weather, including intense tornadoes.
The Weather Channel reports that strong tornadoes—possibly as strong as EF3—could form in these supercell thunderstorms by this afternoon, especially in eastern Iowa, northwestern Illinois, and western Wisconsin. Additional strong tornadoes are possible farther south, from northern and western Missouri into eastern and southern Kansas and northern and western Oklahoma. As the evening progresses, one or more squall lines of severe storms may sweep east, bringing destructive winds and embedded tornadoes. These winds have the potential to knock down trees, damage homes and vehicles, and cause widespread power outages.
This round of severe weather follows a week of daily storms in the Plains and Midwest. Over 750 severe weather reports, including nearly 50 tornado accounts, have been logged since Monday (April 13). Earlier this week, an EF2 tornado was confirmed in Franklin County, Kansas, and an EF3 tornado near Union City, Wisconsin, was the strongest April tornado in the state in 15 years. Hail as large as softballs damaged thousands of vehicles and homes in Wisconsin, and high winds have caused significant structural damage and power outages across the region.
Flooding remains a concern as repeated rounds of heavy rain and melting snow have pushed rivers in Michigan and Wisconsin to or above major flood stages, with new rainfall expected to increase the risk of flash flooding in already saturated areas. According to USA Today, travel disruptions are likely, and forecasters urge residents to stay alert for rapidly changing conditions.
Looking ahead, isolated severe storms may linger into Saturday (April 18) in the eastern Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, but the threat is expected to decrease after the cold front pushes through. The SPC recommends staying tuned to local forecasts and warnings as the situation develops throughout the day and night.