A fresh round of severe weather is battering the southern Plains and central U.S. this week, with 36 million Americans under threat from powerful thunderstorms, flash floods, and tornadoes that could reach speeds of up to 95 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued enhanced warnings Tuesday for nearly all of Tennessee and Kentucky, affecting 13.6 million people. Another 23 million residents from Indianapolis to Atlanta were under a separate slight risk for severe weather. Cities under the watch include Memphis, Nashville, Lexington, Louisville, Paducah, Birmingham, St. Louis, and Knoxville.
NOAA's Storm Prediction Center said the system could unleash "tennis ball-sized" hail, hurricane-force winds, and long-track tornadoes. The storms follow a string of deadly weather that began on May 16 and has since killed over two dozen people across Missouri, Kentucky, and Virginia.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the destruction in Somerset from a tornado classified as either EF3 or EF4 left "nothing left of the homes but a two-foot pile of rubble." He warned that the most dangerous period for western Kentucky would begin Tuesday at 11 a.m. CT. In nearby London, Kentucky, at least 17 people died and many more were injured, state officials confirmed.
AccuWeather estimated that the tornado in St. Louis damaged or destroyed more than 4,500 buildings, causing at least $1 billion in losses. The broader storm system, which has spun off at least 115 tornadoes since May 16, could result in economic damages ranging between $9 billion and $11 billion. "The storms could exacerbate the damage that has occurred in some areas and delay cleanup efforts in others," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike Youman said.
As of Tuesday morning, over 127,000 utility customers remained without power, including 48,000 in Missouri, according to PowerOutage.us.
States likely to face additional severe thunderstorms through midweek include Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, and West Virginia, the Weather Prediction Center reported. On Wednesday, the threat will shift to the Ohio Valley and East Coast, with a marginal risk of flash flooding in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
The tornado outbreak ranks as the second-highest on record for this time of year. Preliminary National Weather Service data shows at least five twisters touched down Monday across Oklahoma and Nebraska, though no injuries were reported. More tornadoes were reported Sunday in Illinois and additional parts of Oklahoma.
