Meteorologists are sounding the alarm of a life-threatening storm set to impact millions of people in the central United States later this week.
AccuWeather issued a report about "one of the most widespread severe weather events so far in 2024" on Tuesday, warning that the incoming storm "will unleash tornadoes, hard-hitting hail and damaging winds across a dozen states."
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The first storm will arrive on Thursday, closely followed by a second system. The severe weather is expected to last throughout the weekend and will bring a "significant risk to lives and property" with it, according to the report.
"All modes of severe weather are likely with the multiple-day event in the central U.S.," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. "Two storms, off the Pacific coast on Tuesday, will swing across the West and cause moisture to surge northward from the Gulf of Mexico while, at the same time, temperatures surge."
Newsweek reached out to AccuWeather via email for comment.
The states most at risk for severe weather are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, far western Kentucky and Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and northern and central Texas.
Rayno warned that the storm system on Friday resembles another system that hit Iowa with multiple tornados earlier this month.
"The setup for Friday centered on Iowa looks very similar to April 16, when a dozen tornadoes touched down in the state," Rayno said.
AccuWeather warned that the storm system will traverse roughly 1,000 miles on Friday, extending from southern Minnesota to central Texas. Big cities at risk for the impacts include Kansas City and Springfield, Missouri; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Topeka, Kansas; Fort Smith, Arkansas; Omaha, Nebraska; Des Moines, Iowa; and Dallas, Texas.
"A dozen or more tornados" also are a threat on Saturday from Dallas to Kansas City.
In addition to the storm, high winds arriving in Texas, Colorado and New Mexico will create critical fire weather conditions.
"Along with the severe weather threat this week into the weekend, critical fire weather concerns will also be present across parts of the Southwest into the southern High Plains. Strong winds and low humidity will bring potential for rapid fire spread," the National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday morning.
The weather prompted NWS meteorologists to issue a red flag warning on Wednesday morning across far western Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico.
"Outdoor burning is not recommended," the NWS said. "A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior."
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