Article:

Millions of people in the central United States are on high alert as forecasters issue a rare high-risk warning for powerful storms. The regions of central Oklahoma and southern Kansas are particularly vulnerable to severe weather, including long-track tornadoes, hurricane-force winds, and baseball-sized hail.

The warning comes at a critical time, as areas in Oklahoma, such as Sulphur and Holdenville, are still recovering from a devastating tornado that claimed four lives and left thousands without power just last month. This new storm system adds to the already high occurrence of tornadoes in both the Plains and Midwest this spring.

The National Weather Service has identified more than 3.4 million people, 1,614 schools, and 159 hospitals in Oklahoma, parts of southern Kansas, and far north Texas as facing the most severe threat for tornadoes. In total, nearly 10 million people live in areas that could be impacted by the storm.

As evening approached, wall clouds began forming in Oklahoma, with funnels emerging in rural areas. Additionally, reports of apple-sized hail measuring 3 inches in diameter were received near Ellinwood, Kansas.

In response to the imminent danger, schools and colleges across the state have closed early and canceled afternoon and evening classes and activities. The State Emergency Operations Center in Oklahoma remains activated from last weekend's deadly storms, and state agencies have allowed most of their workers to leave early.

Residents in affected areas are taking precautions to safeguard their property and loved ones. Monte Tucker, a farmer and rancher in Sweetwater, Oklahoma, has put his tractors and heavy equipment in barns to protect them from potential hail. He's also offered his home as a safe haven for neighbors in case the weather turns dangerous. Tucker's house includes a ground-level safe room built with reinforced concrete walls.

The severity of the situation is emphasized by Bill Bunting, deputy director of the Storm Prediction Center, who stated that a high-risk warning is not a common occurrence. He urged people to take the alert seriously and exercise extreme caution.

The last time a high-risk warning was issued was on March 31, 2023, when a massive storm system devastated parts of the South and Midwest, including Arkansas, Illinois, and rural Indiana. The current risk in the southern Plains is the most severe in five years, according to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter.

Cities such as Kansas City, Missouri, and Lincoln, Nebraska, are also in the potential path of the storm. Bunting predicts that the number and intensity of thunderstorms will rapidly increase in the evening across western Oklahoma and south-central Kansas. These storms could generate winds exceeding 80 mph and potentially produce destructive tornadoes.

Porter further warns that these storms may produce particularly intense tornadoes that can last for extended periods, causing significant destruction along their paths.

Residents in the affected regions are urged to stay informed and follow the guidance of local authorities to ensure their safety during this dangerous weather event.