Tornado and Severe Watches Span Central Plains as Storms Produce 96 mph Gust

Overview

• Tornado Watch 327 and multiple severe thunderstorm watches remain in effect across Kansas, the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles, and nearby areas as the Storm Prediction Center warns of storms capable of tornadoes, very large hail, and 65–80 mph wind gusts.
• A mesoscale convective system in the TX/OK Panhandle produced a 96 mph gust at the Eva, Oklahoma Mesonet site, showing the potential for locally extreme straight-line winds within the larger outbreak.
• The Weather Prediction Center has upgraded flash-flood risk to likely for parts of southeastern Kansas, southwestern Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma because training storms can produce hourly rates of 1–2 inches and localized totals exceeding 4 inches.
• Forecasters say the threat is changing from large hail to widespread damaging winds as discrete supercells upscale into linear MCSs under a strengthening nocturnal low-level jet, and saturated soils from prior rain raise the chance of rapid runoff and flash flooding for communities in the storm paths.
• Short-term uncertainty remains on exact storm timing and placement, so officials urge people in affected counties to monitor SPC/WPC mesoscale discussions, local NWS statements, and watches for immediate warnings and safety instructions.