Persistent storm system moves toward Midwest, bringing destructive winds and potential tornadoes.
Around 15 million people in the states of Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri are facing an increased risk of severe weather on Tuesday, according to the Storm Prediction Center. This severe weather is anticipated to reach its peak intensity in the afternoon and continue throughout the evening.
The region with the highest level of concern covers southeast Iowa, northwest Illinois, and northeastern Missouri, where they are under a Level 4 out of 5 threat.
There are two main dangers in the Midwest on Tuesday - strong gusts of wind and hail. However, there might also be some areas hit by tornadoes with the strength of an EF2 or higher.
Though they aren't in the bullseye, cities like Milwaukee, Kansas City, Omaha, Madison, and Des Moines are at a risk of experiencing severe weather conditions. Lower chances of severe storms extend from Texas to Michigan, encompassing cities such as Dallas, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Detroit.
This storm system is heading to the Midwest after tearing through the central US on Sunday and Monday, resulting in over a dozen tornadoes and damaged homes across the region. In the past week, there have been several rounds of severe weather happening throughout the US. A devastating storm hit Houston on Thursday, resulting in hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity for extended periods with temperatures soaring in a heat wave.
Flash flooding is also possible in parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nebraska, where heavy rainfall is expected. Roughly 1 to 3 inches of rainfall is predicted in some locations with up to 5 inches in others.
Strong winds are forecasted for lower Wisconsin and Illinois as night approaches, potentially causing power outages if they damage trees or power lines. Weakening on Wednesday, the storm system will bring thunderstorms from Texas to western NY, posing less severe threats of hail, winds, and potential tornadoes.
A dangerous heat wave is gripping Houstonians as they are still grappling with power outages from last week's storms. These storms unleashed a tornado and winds of 100 mph in Harris County that includes Houston. It resulted in at least eight lives lost, shattered skyscraper windows, damaged critical power infrastructure, and caused a sewage spill, all while making roads inaccessible.
Since power has yet to be restored to over 140,000 homes and businesses in Harris County on Monday night, according to PowerOutage.us, authorities have warned that restoring power to certain areas may take weeks. Without a working air conditioning system, the heat index (a measurement of how hot it feels), is expected to reach the triple digits this week.
The deadly effects of extreme heat are growing as human-driven climate change causes longer and more severe heatwaves. Houstonians will have to endure heat indices ranging from the 90s on Monday to over 100 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In the wake of these dangerous conditions, the National Weather Service advises taking safety measures when using generators. It also informs people about the symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke.
The temperature is expected to reach 110 degrees by this weekend, persisting through early next week until the heatwave starts to recede.
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In the affected areas, strong winds could bring down trees and damage power lines, potentially causing power outages in the region. Some areas facing this storm might also experience tornadoes with the strength of an EF2 or higher.
Source: edition.cnn.com
