Multiple tornadoes touched down across the central United States on Thursday, including a powerful twister that caused significant damage and multiple injuries in Oklahoma, marking the beginning of several days of severe thunderstorms that could be dangerous for the region.
Thursday was the first of at least five consecutive days of significant risk of severe thunderstorms.
A varying level of tornado threat continues daily into Monday, with the risk of straight-line wind gusts and hail damage.
A large, slow, and powerful tornado moved through Enid, Oklahoma Thursday evening, creating a rare tornado emergency. This is the National Weather Service’s most urgent type of tornado warning. Enid is approximately 105 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.
Video from CNN affiliate KOCO shows extensive structural damage, overturned vehicles and widespread debris on the city’s southeast side after the tornado lasted more than 30 minutes. Approximately 40 homes were damaged in surrounding areas of Enid and Garfield counties, according to the Oklahoma State Emergency Management Agency.
Mayor David Mason posted on Facebook Friday morning: “We are grateful to report that although there was significant damage to homes, there were no fatalities and only minor injuries.”
At least 10 people were injured, KOCO reported, citing Garfield County emergency managers. CNN has contacted us for additional details.
Heavy rain and high winds from additional thunderstorms complicated search and rescue efforts overnight as crews assessed damage and responded to affected neighborhoods, including the Gray Ridge community and Vance Air Force Base.
The whereabouts of everyone assigned to the base are known and no one was injured, but a damage assessment is still underway to “ensure the safety and integrity of the facility and infrastructure,” the base confirmed Friday morning. The base previously announced it would be closed until further notice “due to ongoing power and water restoration efforts.”
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said he has spoken with local leaders in Enid and will continue to work with them to assess the damage and identify needs. “Please join me in praying for the Enid community that was severely affected by tonight’s tornado,” he said in a statement on X.
The National Weather Service sent a storm survey team to Enid on Friday to analyze the damage and determine the path and strength of the tornado.
The threat level for wind gusts, hail, and tornado damage across the central United States will continue to increase into early next week due to the change in weather patterns that spawned Thursday night’s storms. Sunday and Monday could be the most influential days of this stretch, but predictions hinge on key details.
Friday’s threat is expected to be primarily concentrated in the lower Mississippi Valley, where there is a level 2/5 threat. The Storm Prediction Center added a small Level 3/5 danger area Friday morning, primarily centered around far northeastern Texas and far southeastern Oklahoma.
The main threat from the storm, which develops late Friday afternoon into Friday night, is expected to be hail and damaging wind gusts, but a few tornadoes are also possible. Hail’s greatest threat is within level 3/5 areas.
A severe thunderstorm threat level 3/5 was issued Saturday for parts of the Oklahoma City metro area and parts of Kansas and Oklahoma, including Tulsa, Oklahoma. Damaging wind gusts and very large hail (potentially larger than a golf ball) will be the main threats from Saturday’s storm, but a few tornadoes are also possible.
Saturday’s storms could also develop in the late afternoon or evening. Thunderstorms could first develop over parts of western Kansas and Oklahoma, then move east and intensify Saturday night.
The forecast will become even more difficult starting Sunday. There is low confidence that a storm will form, but if it does occur, it could be very dangerous, with a level 3/5 risk in place, primarily in Kansas.
There is a lot of fuel for a storm to form and explode in strength, but any storm needs a little bit of energy to first begin to develop. Such movement could lead to strong thunderstorms late Sunday afternoon or early evening, potentially forming a supercell, but still likely not being widespread. Harmful winds, large hail, and tornadoes are possible.
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But if no such move occurs, much of the atmospheric energy will remain untapped, potentially fueling an even bigger threat on Monday.
Due to this possibility, a level 5/5 severe thunderstorm threat has been set for Monday from parts of Iowa and Wisconsin to Arkansas and Tennessee.
The threat of Monday’s storms will largely depend on Sunday’s development, so how powerful the storms will be and which areas they may hit will come into greater focus as the weekend progresses. In any case, the entire area should be prepared for potentially damaging wind gusts, hail, and tornadoes – anything that can cause damage of EF2 or higher.
More severe thunderstorm days are possible through the middle of the week, but activity will again depend on conditions Sunday and Monday.
