Strong storms that tore across the central United States on Sunday caused significant damage, including massive hail, damaging gusts, and even a few tornadoes.
Baseball-sized hail and a derecho with wind gusts above 100 mph were among the severe weather threats that might pass across parts of Kansas and Oklahoma.
That same kind of storm tore through Texas and Louisiana on Thursday, tearing through the Houston metro region with winds as high as 100 mph, leaving over a million people without power and at least seven fatalities.
On Sunday, numerous states issued warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods.
Eight reports of tornadoes across Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma have already been received by the National Weather Service on Sunday; one of those reports is thought to have crossed Interstate 70 west of Russell, Kansas. Russell officials shared pictures of damaged homes, trees, and power lines on Facebook after the storm.
“The storm that hit Russell this afternoon caused significant damage across the community, including the electric distribution system, homes, businesses and vehicles,” officials stated on Facebook. “At least three structures have been leveled.
In and around the Wichita, Kansas, area, widespread damage was also recorded due to reported gusts of 75 mph. Newton, a community north of Wichita, seemed to have been particularly heavily damaged. Northeast of Wichita, near Whitewater, winds as high as eighty miles per hour were recorded.
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On Sunday night, there was a 100 mph wind gust recorded at the Salina, Kansas, airport. A 90 mph wind gust was recorded close to Fowler, Kansas.
There have also been reports of baseball- and tennis ball-sized hail with many storms. Ellis, Kansas, reported the most hail, three inches in diameter, to the NWS as of Sunday night.
The severe weather threat on Monday
On Monday, there are two regions where severe weather is expected.
About 17 million people, including parts of Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa as well as parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin in the Midwest, are classified as being at danger at Level 2 out of 5, according to the SPC.
The cities of Des Moines, Iowa, are just outside of that Level 2 hazard, while Norfolk, Omaha, Lincoln, and McCook, Nebraska, are all at risk.
On Monday, Kansas City, Missouri, is also considered a Level 2 threat. On Monday, Milwaukee and Chicago have also been categorized as having a Level 2 out of 5 risk.
All thunderstorms that form in the Midwest and the Plains have the potential to produce tornadoes, hail, and strong winds.
The severe weather threat on Tuesday
More than 9.5 million people are at risk of severe weather on Tuesday, with the SPC rating it a Level 3 out of 5.
Due to this threat, residents of seven states, ranging from the Plains to the Midwest, should be on the lookout for storms that could produce tornadoes, hail, and damaging wind gusts.
Even though there is a higher chance of severe thunderstorms in those areas on Tuesday, over 31.5 million people in regions ranging from Oklahoma to Michigan are at risk, with a Level 2 out of 5 rating.
The cities of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, St. Louis, Chicago, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Milwaukee, Green Bay, Wisconsin are all included in this Level 2 risk.
