Severe tornadoes and storms hit areas in the South and Midwest on Wednesday. The storms caused significant damage, including downed power lines and trees, torn-off home roofs, and debris thrown high into the sky.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a warning on early Wednesday for a severe thunderstorm affecting up to 12 counties in northeast and south. The alert was issued for Tulsa County, Craig County, Rogers County, Southeastern Osage County, Western Ottawa County, Northeastern Creek County, Western Mayes County, Washington County, Nowata County, and Northwestern Wagoner County. The warning remained in effect from 06:29 a.m. CDT to 07:15 a.m. CDT.
A tornado warning for Carmel, Fishers, and Noblesville was issued on Wednesday after a twister was spotted in Zionsville, Indiana. Meanwhile, a ‘possible’ twister touched down in Brownsburg, Indiana. According to the NWS office in Indianapolis, a tornado warning is in effect for parts of central and east central Indiana until 10:15 p.m. EDT on Wednesday night. The warning covers Madison, Delaware, and southeastern Tipton counties.
There could be over a foot of rain (30 centimeters) in the next four days, which is quite unusual. According to the weather service, this kind of heavy rainfall happens only once in a lifetime. We should be prepared for record-breaking amounts of rain and other big effects on our communities.
Locals warned on social media, “If you are in Brownsburg, Zionsville or any surrounding areas you need to be in a basement or in an interior room NOW,”
About 2.5 million people were in a rarely called “high-risk” zone, which covered parts of west Tennessee, including Memphis, northeast Arkansas, the southeast corner of Missouri, and parts of western Kentucky and southern Illinois.
Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky, Little Rock, Dallas, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Nashville, Tennessee were at a slightly lower risk for severe weather.
The potent storm system will bring “significant, life-threatening flash flooding” starting Wednesday and continuing each day through Saturday, the National Weather Service said.