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Major Tornado Outbreak Unfolding In Southern Plains

May 21, 2019
UPDATED By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Fred Allen
A major severe storm outbreak is unfurling across the southern Plains. Everything from violent, long-track tornadoes to giant hail and flash flooding will be part of the severe weather equation tonight.
 
The storm threat is due to an unseasonably strong area of low pressure moving from the Rockies into the southern Plains. Warm and humid air funneling northward ahead of the storm is clashing with much cooler and drier air punching into the storm’s western flank away from the Rocky Front Range. As winds rapidly turn while gaining altitude, the risk for significant, long-track tornadoes and destructive winds are increasing.
 
The strongest thunderstorms will be concentrated along and west of the Interstate 44 corridor from the eastern Texas Panhandle to central Oklahoma. Here, the National Storm Prediction Center maintained a High Risk for thunderstorms packing destructive wind gusts of 70 to 80 mph, hail larger than baseballs and violent, long-track tornadoes. This includes Wichita Falls, Texas, and the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

Particularly Dangerous Situation Tornado Watches remain in place for the eastern Texas Panhandle, parts of West Texas and southern and central Oklahoma. This includes Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla., and Abilene, Amarillo, Childress and Lubbock, Texas.

A Particularly Dangerous Situation Tornado Watch is issued when conditions are ideal for long-lived intense tornadoes to develop. Large hail and destructive winds are also possible when this type of watch is issued.

A new Tornado Watch has been issued through early Tuesday morning for west and souther Texas, eastern Oklahoma, western and central Arkansas, southwestern Missouri and far southeastern Kansas. Midland and Abilene, Tex., McAlester, Okla., Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Little Rock and Fayetteville, Ark., and Springfield and Joplin, Mo., are just some of the cities included within the watch box.

A new Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued through early Tuesday morning for southern Missouri. 

Very strong storms, capable of producing 65 to 75 mph and hail to the size of tennis balls, are possible from west-central Texas to northeastern Oklahoma, where a Moderate Risk for severe storms exists. This includes Abilene, Texas, and Tulsa, Okla.

Even outside the most dangerous severe weather zones across the southern Plains, like Springfield and Joplin, Mo., to Little Rock, Ark., the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and Wichita, Kan., will all need to keep a watchful eye to the sky later tonight for a big thunderstorm run-in.

Besides dangerous severe weather, the thunderstorms will unleash torrential downpours, causing flash flooding, especially in areas of poor drainage or where storm debris collects. Flash Flood and Flood Watches extend from the eastern Texas Panhandle to northwestern Missouri, including Oklahoma City and Norman, Okla., Wichita and Topeka, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo. If you encounter a roadway that is covered by water, make sure to follow a simple saying, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”.

So far today, storm reports are beginning to pile up as the activity and coverage increase. With 145 severe weather reports in the books, 18 of them have trickled in as unconfirmed tornadoes from the Texas Panhandle to far southeastern Kansas and western Missouri. Nearly 68 have been large hail reports, two being baseball or larger including a report of grapefruit size hail in Wellington, Texas, early this afternoon. A thunderstorm gust of 94 mph was recorded near Marshall, Okla., as well.

Keep in mind that lightning is one of Mother Nature's most dangerous killers. “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors” because if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning, even if the sun is shining.