The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center warned of the risk a dozen states in the Midwest will face from thunderstorms and tornadoes Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning.
According to the agency, Tuesday's weather pattern is nearly identical to Friday's, so about 48 million people from the Plains to the Missouri and Mississippi valleys are expected to be affected.
"Strong tornadoes and particularly damaging winds are expected. Both afternoon and overnight potential will exist across various regions, including the risk of dangerous nighttime tornadoes," he said.
According to the forecast center's map, 16 states will be affected by the weather conditions: Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, most of Iowa, some of Indiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
12:57pm CDT #SPC Day2 Outlook Moderate Risk: from eastern Iowa into northwest Illinois, and from southern Missouri southwestward toward the Arklatex. https://t.co/Y1WiOd8TQQ pic.twitter.com/MFAaypGvTK
— NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) April 3, 2023
The greatest risk of severe weather will be in an area of northern Missouri, eastern Iowa, northwest west-central Illinois, southeastern Oklahoma, northern Arkansas and southern Missouri.
"Nearly 50 million people are already at risk for severe weather on Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night alone," AccuWeather said highlighting that the number could increase to 100 million or more if the system continues east on Wednesday.
"The threat of powerful thunderstorms, including tornadoes, will extend past dark and could peak during the first half of the night before continuing into the pre-dawn hours in the Midwest. The nocturnal tornado threat will add to the danger from the fast-moving severe weather," meteorologists at AccuWeather reported.
