Severe storms and tornadoes hit the city of Oklahoma this Monday as the dangerous storm system swept through the central United States. The forecasters warned that these storms can result in damaging winds, large hail, and flash floods. Residents of eastern Oklahoma were advised to seek shelter this Monday evening as the tornado intensified. A clear estimate of the damage that the tornado managed to cause is not out yet. If you are someone who wants to know more about the severe tornadoes and storms that hit Oklahoma, the following article is for you.
What Is The Reason Behind The Severe Weather Conditions In Oklahoma?
According to what the National Weather Service in Norman stated, the city of Oklahoma was under a watch for tornadoes on Tuesday at 2 AM as well. The main reason behind the worsening weather is the rapidly strengthening storm system over Oklahoma. The storm is pulling in warm as well as moist air from the south, while a powerful weather system is also developing strong winds as it moves into the Central United States of America. The warm and moist air coming from the Gulf of Mexico is colliding is moving north into the central US, while cooler, drier air is moving in from the west. This collision is responsible for creating severe thunderstorms that are affecting the city now.
Thunderstorms Of “Supercell” Characteristics Hit Oklahoma City
Reports of severe damage started coming from the Great Plains on Sunday, while the tornadoes downed power lines, trees, and caused severe damage to infrastructure. Bryan Smith, who is the leading forecaster at the Storm Prediction Center, explained how they’re expecting severe thunderstorms that’ll later develop further and acquire the properties of a supercell thunderstorm. This type of thunderstorm can actually produce damaging winds, large hail, and even tornadoes. The Central and the Eastern parts of Oklahoma, along with other areas like the northwest of Arkansas, southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and the far north of Texas, were at Level 4 out of 5 risk for severe weather conditions.
Flash Flood Warnings Issued After Severe Storms Hit Central US
According to the reports, a total of 100,000 customers are in cities like Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas. Flash flood warnings were also in effect in parts of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. This was because the ground in these areas is already saturated from the storms that hit recently. According to the forecast, these areas were at Level 3 out of 4 risk of heavy rainfall leading to flash floods. Southeastern Oklahoma to Central Iowa are kept on the Level 2 out of 4 on the scale of risks for flash floods.
Severe Weather Conditions Hit Oklahoma Following The Severe Thunderstorm In Kentucky
The severe thunderstorms and tornadoes have arrived right after a series of similar thunderstorms and tornadoes caused widespread damage in Kentucky. The storms that hit the country before resulted in 25 deaths and damage to the infrastructure as well. Kentucky and Missouri were the cities that were most affected because of the thunderstorms and tornadoes that managed to cause severe damage to thousands of buildings. Both cities were still recovering from the previous thunderstorms, and a new set of thunderstorms and tornadoes had already hit Missouri.
More Thunderstorms May Arrive Later This Week
According to what the weather reports suggest, there are possibilities of more thunderstorms developing along with a couple of strong tornadoes on Tuesday. Multiple areas like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, along with North Carolina, Mississippi, and Alabama, are at level 3 out of 5 risk for severe weather conditions. The threat of thunderstorms will probably decrease on Wednesday while the severe weather system moves toward the Atlantic. Southeastern Virginia and eastern North Carolina, along the East Coast to the Florida and Georgia border, still have the possibility of experiencing a tornado before the weather clears.
