The Plains experienced severe storms last Thursday, with over 1 million people in a Level 3 out of 5 risk zone as per NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. Omaha, Nebraska was particularly at risk, even though the city didn’t see the strongest of the storms. But warning sirens blared on the north side of the city, and tornadoes were spotted in nearby Iowa. Storm chasers, including FOX Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic, captured video of a tornado forming and rolling across Iowa fields on Thursday evening. Strong winds and baseball-sized hail caused a dust storm or gustnado in Schuyler, Nebraska, captured on video by FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Trackers Corey Gerken and Brandon Copic.
Despite the dramatic scenes, there were no widespread reports of damage or power outages. Radar data indicated that the storms were big hailers with the potential for damaging ice, and tornado threats persisted through the night with large tornadoes spotted in Iowa after sunset. The storms caused power outages, and a particularly dangerous situation was identified by the National Weather Service, prompting a Tornado Emergency in the town of Essex, Iowa. The supercell storm affected communities over many miles, with hundreds reported to be without power and debris blocking some roadways.
First responders prepared for search and rescue operations as the storms shifted eastward, expanding into the Great Lakes region from the southern Plains. Severe storms were expected to develop with damaging wind and large hail threats, while the tornado risk was deemed low. Saturday was projected to see scattered severe storms from central Texas to the Ohio Valley, potentially leading to heavy rain and flooding in some areas. The forecast for Texas, particularly the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, was uncertain due to morning storms that could impact later storm activity. Easter Sunday was predicted to bring a heightened threat of severe weather, potentially including more tornadoes.
The southern Plains, lower and mid-Mississippi Valley, and mid-South regions are likely to experience severe weather on Easter Sunday, based on recent patterns. As the day approaches, more details regarding the severity and specific areas at risk will become clearer. FOX Weather will continue to provide the latest updates on the developing severe weather situation as it unfolds.
