More Than 100M Americans Brace for ‘Megastorm’ Bringing Tornados, Blizzards

Meteorologists are warning of a “megastorm” that is expected to bring blizzards, strong winds, large hail and even tornados across several states from the northcentral United States to the South on Friday.

Why It Matters

Earlier this week, a strong storm system brought heavy snow to high-elevation areas in California, as well as heavy rain to lower elevation areas. That same system is now trekking eastward across the U.S., bringing the threat of strong storms, including blizzards, tornados, and thunderstorms.

What To Know

On Thursday, the National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center warned that portions of 17 states are expecting at least a slight risk of thunderstorms this weekend. The impacted states are:

• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• Michigan
• Indiana
• Ohio
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Nebraska
• Kansas
• South Dakota
• Missouri
• Arkansas
• Louisiana
• Alabama
• Mississippi
• Tennessee
• Kentucky

The incoming storms will impact more than 100 million Americans, the Associated Press reported.

Rain and thunderstorms are expected to begin Friday night from Minnesota south to the Gulf Coast, AccuWeather reported. North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska are expecting an icy mix and some snow. These states also could face blizzard conditions, as very strong winds will accompany the storms.

The strongest chance for tornados will be in southeastern Missouri, southwestern Illinois, western Kentucky, western Tennessee, northern Mississippi, and northeastern Arkansas, according to the NWS Storm Prediction Center’s most recent forecast.

The windy conditions also will create extreme fire risk in New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. As of Friday morning, red flag warnings and fire weather statements had been issued by NWS offices across much of the U.S.

What People Are Saying

AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines told Newsweek: “There could be flooding downpours, large hail, tornados, and damaging wind gusts as well. It’s a very potent storm.”

He added that some of the major cities at the highest risk for tornados on Friday include St. Louis, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Memphis, Tennessee.

NWS Storm Prediction Center in a Friday morning forecast: “A regional outbreak of severe storms is likely across the Mid-Mississippi Valley to the Lower-Mississippi Valley, including portions of the Lower Ohio Valley and Mid South. Tornadoes, several of which could be strong, widespread severe gusts ranging from 60 to 100 mph, and scattered large hail up to baseball size will be possible.”

What Happens Next?

Storms are expected to begin by Friday night and persist through Saturday. Beginning on Saturday, the strongest storms will shift southeast to Mississippi and Alabama, and eastern Louisiana, before the storm moves off the East Coast on Sunday.