Severe storms hit Centro-West and Sul of Estados Unidos overnight Tuesday, leaving at least two people dead in Indiana and several injured. Serviço Nacional of Meteorologia issued more than 45 tornado warnings across seven states, with confirmed tornado reports from Texas to Ventos strong speeds of between 97 and 129 km/h were recorded in several areas, while hailstones the size of baseballs fell in regions such as Illinois.
More than 65 million people remain at risk from severe weather conditions this Wednesday, ranging from Houston to Filadélfia. The main threats include tornadoes, destructive winds and large hail. Inundações sudden rainfall is also expected, especially in the east of Texas, Louisiana,
Damage confirmed at Illinois and Indiana
Reports indicate extensive damage at Condado of Kankakee, at Illinois, where a large and dangerous tornado touched down Tuesday night. The Parque Aroma suffered significant impacts, with damaged structures. The local sheriff’s office confirmed considerable damage in the area.
In Condado of Starke and nearby regions in Indiana, houses collapsed and people were trapped in the rubble. Equipes emergency services worked during the early hours of the morning to rescue. Até early Wednesday morning, there were no reports of missing people.
Exceptional size hail recorded
Hail with a diameter of up to 13 centimeters fell in parts of Illinois, exceeding the size of grapefruits in some cases. Esse phenomenon caused damage to vehicles, roofs and properties. Relatos hail larger than tennis balls or baseballs was common in areas affected by supercells.
These events occurred in the midst of a broad weather system, which extended for more than 2,575 kilometers, from Canadá to México. The storms advanced eastwards during the morning.
High risk for millions this Wednesday
A moderate risk warning is in effect for more than 65 million Americans, covering cities including Pittsburgh, Washington DC, Baltimore, Louisville, Nashville, Memphis, Storms are expected to reach Cleveland around 9 a.m. and Pittsburgh around 11 a.m. local time. Memphis faces risks in the morning and Nashville in the afternoon.
Conditions favor strong tornadoes in some areas. Ventos destructive hail and large hail remain the primary threats.
Progress of storms and forecast for the next few days
The storms are moving east, expected to make landfall on Thursday morning. An associated cold front will cause a rapid drop in temperatures in several regions. Remaining Umidade could turn to snow in areas such as Washington DC and Richmond, into Virgínia, as early as Thursday.
Teams from Serviço Nacional and Meteorologia carry out damage surveys to confirm the intensity of the tornadoes and assess the total impacts.
Security measures and recommendations
Authorities advise people to monitor official warnings and seek shelter in safe locations during tornado warnings. Evitar open areas and vehicles during high winds and hail. Preparação for flooding includes avoiding crossings on flooded roads.
The weather system affected a large swath of the country, highlighting seasonal vulnerability to severe events at the beginning of the year.