Spring's First Tornado Outbreak Is Underway

A widespread outbreak of severe thunderstorms, including an elevated threat of strong tornadoes, is getting underway across the central and southern United States on Thursday. The areas at the greatest risk of severe weather stretch from Arkansas to southern Illinois, southward to northern Louisiana. States at the highest risk of seeing tornadoes also include parts of Kentucky and Mississippi, according to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The SPC has placed all of Arkansas in a "moderate risk" area for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, which indicates a high confidence for severe weather. Counting areas in "slight risk" zones, NOAA said that nearly 52 million people are at risk of seeing severe weather through Thursday night Read more...