Monday evening saw tornadoes touching down in rural Oklahoma while large hail pelted parts of Kansas, marking the onset of dangerous storms that could potentially spawn strong twisters covering vast distances.
A rare high-risk weather warning has been issued for both states, with the National Weather Service cautioning against waiting to spot tornadoes before seeking shelter.
Reports indicate at least four tornadoes in north central Oklahoma, one striking just a 45-minute drive north of Tulsa. The National Weather Service office there sounded a tornado emergency alert for nearby towns including Bartlesville, Dewey, and Barnsdall, warning of an imminent “large and life-threatening tornado” with wind gusts reaching up to 70 mph.
Earlier sightings included tornadoes near the small town of Okeene and Covington, where storms produced tornadoes intermittently for over an hour.
Areas like Sulphur and Holdenville in Oklahoma, still reeling from a recent fatal tornado, are particularly vulnerable. The Plains and Midwest have endured a barrage of tornadoes this spring.
Reports of tornado damage to a single home surfaced in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, with uncertainty about injuries. Wind farm turbines whirled amidst blinding rain across the region.
Meanwhile, sizable hail, measuring up to 3 inches in diameter, battered Ellinwood, Kansas.
The severe threat extends to over 3.4 million people, along with numerous schools and hospitals across Oklahoma, southern Kansas, and northern Texas.
In response, schools and colleges, including the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Public Schools, and various metro-area districts, closed early, canceling afternoon and evening activities.
Oklahoma’s State Emergency Operations Center remains active following last weekend’s deadly storms, prompting state agencies to release most workers early on Monday.
Residents like Monte Tucker of Sweetwater, Oklahoma, took precautions, securing equipment and offering shelter to neighbors in their reinforced concrete safe room.
Bill Bunting from the Storm Prediction Center emphasized the seriousness of the situation, noting that a high-risk designation is rare and demands immediate attention.
This level of risk hasn’t been seen since March 31, 2023, when a severe storm system ravaged parts of the South and Midwest.
According to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter, the current risk in the southern Plains is the highest in five years, with conditions ripe for a significant tornado outbreak.
As evening falls, the frequency and intensity of storms are expected to escalate rapidly across western Oklahoma and south-central Kansas, potentially yielding long-lasting and destructive tornadoes.
