Oklahoma Tornado Kills Two People, More Storms Forecasted

Oklahoma Tornado Kills at Least Two Saturday

A violent tornado ripped through the town of Holdenville, Oklahoma on Saturday night, killing at least two people.

One of the fatalities was a four-month-old baby. Holdenville is located approximately 60 miles to the southeast of Oklahoma City. Several homes were damaged or destroyed and vehicles were sent flying as the deadly tornado roared through the town.

As of Sunday morning, there were still about 37,000 customers left in the dark thanks to widespread power outages.

There were more than 200 reports of severe weather on Saturday alone, stretching from Michigan and down to Texas.

Of these reports, 38 of the events were tornadoes. In addition to the catastrophic damage in Holdenville, the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management reported destruction in the town of Devol located in Cotton County.

State officials are asking residents impacted by the storms to report these incidents to damage.ok.gov.

This reporting will help state emergency managers to coordinate and deploy the response and recovery efforts.

Cleanup efforts are also underway in the Omaha suburb of Elkhorn. A massive tornado ripped through this town on Friday, leveling homes as it made its way into Minden, Iowa.

No deaths were reported in this outbreak.

Severe Weather This Week

While the worst of this storm outbreak is likely over, the risks of more severe weather this week will linger.

Storms fired up late Sunday for a 900-mile swath of land that encompasses a number of major metropolitan areas, including San Antonio, Little Rock, Kansas City, Omaha, and St. Louis.

Some of these cities have already experienced stormy conditions over the last several days.

Central Texas and eastern portions of Oklahoma saw the worst of the rain on Sunday morning. The zone between Austin and Waco reported rainfall amounts of up to 2 inches per hour to start the day.

The risk of torrential rain and the resulting flooding continued into the overnight hours as storms redevelop and push into the Mississippi Valley.

Motorists were advised to be aware of the possibility of ponding on roadways and travel disruptions, particularly for the area between northeast Texas and into Arkansas and the northwest corner of Louisiana.

The energy center of this weather maker will push to the northeast in the coming days. The southern flank of the system will feature a trailing cold front that will bring moisture up from the Gulf of Mexico and deposit it across the south-central portions of the U.S.

This will translate to heavy rain, powerful winds, and the chance of hail for the Mississippi Valley. Although the risk of tornadoes will not be as high as it was earlier in the weekend, there is still a chance of an isolated twister or two.

Monday Weather Spreads Across the Gulf Coast

The primary threat of rain showers and thunderstorm activity will move to the south and the east on Monday, heading into the Mississippi Valley and down into the Gulf Coast.

The core of energy will be spinning around southern Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and into southwestern Tennessee and western Alabama. This will translate to a high chance of storms for this part of the region.

More moisture available in this area will mean a greater chance of heavy rainfall and flooding concerns.

Major cities such as New Orleans and Mobile will see the chance of thunderstorms by the late afternoon as the temperatures heat up and fuel these developments.

For instance, New Orleans is forecast to see isolated storm activity in the morning with more widespread storms developing in the afternoon.

Residents should be prepared for the possibility of small hail and strong winds. It will be a warm day with highs of about 82 degrees and lows that bottom out in the upper 60s.

More Storms on Deck for the Central U.S. on Tuesday and Wednesday

More storms are on deck for the central portion of the U.S. on Tuesday as a new system builds in the northern Plains. This storm system will bring high winds to the Upper Midwest and beyond.

Severe weather is back in the forecast for Kansas City beginning late Tuesday and continuing for the balance of the week. You will want to check the hourly forecast if you have outdoor plans during this time period.

Another surge of energy pushing through the Plains on Wednesday will heighten the risk of thunderstorms, volatile winds, hail, and flash flooding.

The predicted impact zone for Wednesday's effects will stretch from central Kansas and to the south into Texas. The heavily populated Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex will be in the cone of potential storms during this time.

Once again, Oklahoma City and Wichita will also need to be on guard for potential severe weather development. Storms will ignite late in the afternoon hours in this zone with the possibility of them lingering into Thursday morning.

Stay tuned to the forecast if you live in this potential zone of trouble.

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