Tennis ball-sized hail might fall across a major portion of Nebraska on Sunday afternoon as thunderstorms threaten severe weather across much of the central United States, extending from Texas to Minnesota.
A Level 3 out of 5 danger of severe thunderstorms is in effect for Nebraska and north Kansas as of Sunday afternoon and into the night, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. Large hail up to three inches in diameter, strong winds of 60 to 80 mph, and the possibility of one or more tornadoes could all affect this area.
By Sunday afternoon, thunderstorms are expected to start moving into central Kansas and eastern Nebraska.
“Discrete supercells that are expected to develop along this cold front, dry line boundary that’s going to erupt through the late afternoon and evening,” Meteorologist Jane Minar stated. “It’s these storms across Nebraska that have the greater potential of producing a tornado.”
Grand Island, Kearney, North Platte, Norfolk, Nebraska, and the regions northwest of Kansas City, Kansas, are all included in the risk area.
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A broader region of the Plains and Southwest was under a Level 2 out of 5 danger for severe thunderstorms on Sunday, according to the SPC. There are 9.5 million people living in the region, which spans from southwest Texas to Minnesota and includes significant cities like Wichita, Kansas, and Lincoln, Nebraska.
On Sunday afternoon, strong thunderstorms with the potential for 2-inch hail and 70 mph wind gusts started to move across southern Oklahoma and North Texas.
A tornado watch was issued for portions of the Oklahoma Panhandle as well as West and Northwest Texas by the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma. The watch is in effect until Sunday night.
When there is a tornado watch, the weather is conducive to tornado formation.
Earlier on Sunday, there was a lot of rain and wind gusts in places like Des Moines, Iowa, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is anticipated that the greatest storm line would not pass across Nebraska until Sunday night after dark.
If there is a lot of rain between Sunday night and Monday morning, the northern Plains may experience flash floods. There is still a chance of flooding in some areas of Nebraska that are near the Missouri River into Tuesday.
