Relentless severe weather — some deadly — targets multiple states ahead of Memorial Day
The Memorial Day weekend severe weather threat continues Sunday, with more dangerous weather unfolding across parts of the Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio valleys.
Already this weekend, severe thunderstorms have produced a deadly tornado outbreak in parts of Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma that has claimed the lives of at least 10 people.
Unlike Saturday, when thunderstorms produced deadly tornadoes and dangerous weather overnight, Sunday’s threat will feature showers and thunderstorms throughout the day that could impact events. Some areas will face storms twice – in the morning and then again in the afternoon.
The main threats on Sunday will be similar to Saturday, with more tornadoes possible, damaging winds up to 75 mph and large hail.
The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for southern Indiana, western and central Kentucky and western and middle Tennessee. The watch continues until 3 p.m.
Multiple Tornado Warnings were already issued Sunday morning as the storms moved across Missouri and Kentucky, where tornadoes were seen on radar.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has highlighted an area with nearly 16 million people in places such as St. Louis in Missouri, Nashville in Tennessee, Cincinnati in Ohio, and Louisville in Kentucky, in a Level 3 out of 5 risk for severe weather.
That area also includes Indianapolis, Indiana, where the iconic Indy 500 is scheduled to race on Sunday morning. Organizers are already preparing for the potential of storms.
After lightning was detected in the area on Sunday, Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials paused the pre-race ceremonies and asked fans to evacuate the grandstands and Snake Pit.
Thunderstorms moving through the area caused pre-race ceremonies Sunday to pause. Officials told fans to evacuate the grandstands and Snake Pit until after lightning cleared the area.
With the first round of storms on Sunday, power outages surpassed 200,000 customers in Kentucky.
Gov. Andy Beshear warned residents of the Bluegrass State to stay alert for the next round of storms later in the day.
Another 36 million people, including those in Chicago in Illinois, Memphis in Tennessee, and Charlotte in North Carolina, are currently in a Level 2 out of 5 risk of severe weather.
Fortunately for travelers, many are already at their destinations by Sunday. However, those who will be traveling on interstates 40, 70, 55 and 65 will want to pay close attention to the forecast.
Severe weather threat shifts to mid-Atlantic on Memorial Day
On Monday, showers and thunderstorms are expected to spread across much of the eastern third of the nation. However, the chances for a severe weather outbreak are much less than during the previous two days.
The SPC has placed more than 27 million people in the mid-Atlantic in a Level 2 severe weather threat, including Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Maryland; and Charlotte, North Carolina.
