Severe weather struck different parts of the United States over the past week, causing multiple tornado outbreaks, damaging winds, and even heavy rain. According to the latest US weather forecast by the National Weather Service (NWS) on Thursday, May 9, severe thunderstorms and excessive rain threats have persisted and will continue from the southern to the southeastern US.
Thunderstorm Alert
(Photo : Photo by Jim Witkowski on Unsplash)
A thunderstorm alert was issued by the NWS' Weather Prediction Center (WPC) in its short-range forecast at 3:50 a.m. EDT (local time) on Thursday. Under the alert, there is an 'enhanced risk' of severe thunderstorms over parts of the southern Great Plains, the lower Mississippi Valley, the Tennessee Valley, and the Southeast US starting on Thursday.
On the same day, there is a 'slight risk' of excessive rainfall over parts of the mentioned regions, as well as the southern Appalachians. The severe weather is caused by a weather front that extends from the Mid-Atlantic region to the Ohio Valley, and to the southern Plains. It is expected to move eastward by Friday evening, May 10, and will linger over Florida by Saturday, May 11, the WPC says.
Also Read: Thunderstorm Alert: Severe Weather Forecasted from Southern Plains to Southeast US This Week [NWS]
US Tornado Outbreaks
Amid the threat posed by severe storms, several regions of the country have been at risk from tornado outbreaks. Based on local reports earlier this week, at least 16 tornadoes have been reported in six states across the Midwest, including Oklahoma, Texas, and Tennessee, on Monday evening, May 6. The twisters uprooted trees and destroyed homes, such as in Tennessee.
As of Thursday, deadly storms wreaked havoc across the South US, which recently saw at least three deaths and an injury of a boy who was swept away into a storm drain while he was playing amid a flooded street. Out of the 16 tornadoes mentioned earlier, a total of three tornadoes were confirmed in Michigan, with one reported death of a Tennessee man.
Early Season Heat
Apart from the severe weather affecting the Midwest, southern Plains, and the Southeast US, the NWS also reported warmer weather for other parts of the nation. In its same US weather forecast on Thursday, the weather service said that early season heat has already arrived in the southern states, spreading along the US Gulf Coast and Florida.
Furthermore, above-average temperatures are expected across the Pacific Northwest this coming weekend, according to the US weather agency. This means that the heat from the approaching summer season in June could already be felt as early as before mid-May. With this, a heat advisory has been issued by the agency, particularly in Texas, due to the risk of heat-related illnesses.
In the coming days, extreme heat and high humidity events are expected for different parts of the state. Based on previous reports, multiple heat-related deaths were reported across the US and globally during the summer season. Statistics estimate over 1,300 people die in the US each year due to extreme heat, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Related Article: US Thunderstorm Forecast: Southeast at Risk of Strong Winds and Hail This Weekend [NWS]