ORLANDO, Fla. – Wednesday is shaping up to be an active day for severe weather in three parts of the U.S. with powerful thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts, large hail and possible tornadoes targeting areas from the Plains to the East Coast.
The activity has already started to pick up across portions of Florida, with forecasters issuing a Tornado Watch overnight that covers millions of people across the central part of the state.
Tornado Warnings and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued early Tuesday morning, and the FOX Forecast Center expects those thunderstorms to persist throughout the day.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued a Tornado Watch across portions of Florida that includes more than 9 million people in cities like Tampa, Spring Hill, Ocala, Palm Coast, Orlando, Melbourne and Palm Bay.
That Tornado Watch will remain in effect until 11 a.m. ET.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APP
The SPC has highlighted two areas of concern on the East Coast for powerful thunderstorms to develop on Wednesday.
In Florida, severe thunderstorms will be possible across the peninsula from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean from the Jacksonville area southward to the West Palm Beach area.
However, the SPC has placed areas of Central Florida in a Level 2 out of 5 risk on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale.
This includes cities like Daytona Beach, Orlando, Melbourne, Tampa and the Fort Myers area.
MAY IS PEAK MONTH FOR TORNADOES IN THE US
The SPC has also highlighted portions of the Carolinas where there’s a higher risk of severe weather.
The SPC placed parts of northern South Carolina and most of central and eastern North Carolina in a Level 2 out of 5 risk.
This includes Columbia in South Carolina and Charlotte, Raleigh and Wilmington in North Carolina.
Those areas in Florida and the Carolinas will be at risk of seeing powerful thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts and hail.
There is also a tornado threat, but the threat of twisters is higher across Central Florida, where the Tornado Watch is currently in effect.
LIGHTNING SAFETY: WHEN THUNDER ROARS, EVEN TAKING OUT THE TRASH CAN TURN DEADLY
Parts of the Plains in the central U.S. will also be at risk of powerful thunderstorms on Wednesday.
The thunderstorm risk stretches from Texas to Nebraska. However, portions of northwestern Texas, western and northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas have been placed in a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe weather on Wednesday.
This includes about 1 million people in cities like Amarillo in Texas, Enid, Stillwater, Ponca City and Yukon in Oklahoma. Communities along Interstate 35 in Kansas south of Wichita are also included.
ADVICE FOR DEALING WITH STORM ANXIETY WHEN SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS
Storms that develop in those areas on Wednesday will not only be capable of producing deadly, cloud-to-ground lightning, but large hail, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes will also be possible.
Original article source: Tornado Watch issued in Florida as severe weather threatens millions across 3 areas of US on Wednesday
Source Agencies
