10
Loading video...
By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A dangerous storm prompted a severe thunderstorm warning Monday morning for northern McCurtain County, Oklahoma, where residents were told to “seek shelter” as quarter‑size hail and fast‑moving winds swept across the region.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Shreveport, Louisiana, issued the alert at 8:14 a.m. CDT, warning that the storm was racing east‑northeast at 50 mph and was capable of damaging vehicles and producing large hail. Severe thunderstorm watches went out across southeastern Oklahoma and much of Arkansas.
"Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from windows," the warning said. "This storm is capable of producing large hail."
Read More on Weather
Severe thunderstorms and potential tornado‑producing storms can develop with little to no notice, leaving people only minutes to take cover. Meteorologists warn that fast‑evolving cells—especially in the southern Plains—can intensify rapidly, turning a routine morning into a life‑threatening situation. Forecasters stress that immediate action is essential when warnings are issued, as delays can put residents directly in the path of hail, destructive wind or a quick‑forming tornado. The severe thunderstorm warning comes as meteorologists forecast widespread severe thunderstorms, as well as a chance for a tornado outbreak, across the U.S. this week.
For southeast Oklahoma, eastern Texas and southern Arkansas, the biggest threat for tornados will be on Wednesday, NWS meteorologist Brandon Thorne told Newsweek.
...
Severe Thunderstorm Warning vs. Tornado Warning
The NWS issues severe thunderstorm warnings when a storm is producing wind gusts of 58 mph or higher or hail at least one inch in diameter, based on radar or ground reports. The warnings highlight storms capable of causing damaging winds, large hail and other hazards, but they do not necessarily indicate that a tornado is imminent.
A tornado warning, by contrast, is issued when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar, meaning rotation is strong enough that a tornado may already be forming or touching down. The alert signals an immediate danger to life and property, and people are urged to seek shelter right away
The severe thunderstorm warning issued in Oklahoma on Monday morning did not mention a tornado. However, AccuWeather warned of "hail, damaging wind gusts of 60-70 mph and isolated tornadoes could accompany any severe thunderstorm" in a forecast that was updated on Monday morning.
How Does a Tornado Form?
Tornadoes form when powerful thunderstorms develop strong, persistent rotation, usually where warm, humid air near the ground collides with cooler, drier air above, creating instability and wind shear that causes air to spin horizontally.
As the storm intensifies, rising air tilts the rotating column vertically, tightening it into a rapidly spinning funnel that can drop from the storm’s base and extend to the ground. Once connected, the vortex becomes a tornado capable of producing destructive winds, with its strength depending on how much energy the storm can pull in.
Meteorologists classify tornadoes using the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, which estimates a tornado’s windspeed based on observed damage. The scale ranges from EF0 to EF5, with each category reflecting increasing destructive potential.
- EF0: Windspeeds between 65 and 85 mph
- EF1: Windspeeds between 86 and 110 mph
- EF2: Windspeeds between 111 and 135 mph
- EF3: Windspeeds between 136 and 165 mph
- EF4: Windspeeds between 166 and 200 mph
- EF5: Windspeeds above 200 mph
Edwardsburg, Michigan, Tornado
A tornado that struck Edwardsburg, Michigan, last Friday has been confirmed by the NWS as an EF1, with maximum winds of 95 mph, a path length of 13.4 miles and a maximum width of 350 yards. The storm touched down at about 3:11 p.m. and caused widespread tree damage, structural impacts to homes and pole barns, and killed a 12‑year‑old boy in Cass County before lifting east of South Street and Walnut Road.
An EF2 tornado was confirmed in Three Rivers, Michigan, and an EF3 in Union City, Michigan.
Beggs, Oklahoma, Tornado
The tornado that struck Beggs, Oklahoma, last week has been officially classified by the NWS as a violent EF‑3, with maximum winds up to 140 mph. The storm touched down on Friday evening, killing two people and injuring two others, destroying at least four homes and damaging Beggs Middle School. The tornado was one of at least seven confirmed across eastern Oklahoma that night, leaving widespread structural damage, downed power lines and a declared state of emergency across multiple counties.
...
Tornado Outbreak Threat Map
Tornados are possible across the south on Monday into Monday night for a region stretching from far eastern Texas through Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, according to the AccuWeather report. On Tuesday, the storms ramp up, with a wide swath of the country from Texas to Michigan expecting some risk of severe thunderstorms, with small pockets of enhanced risk in Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.
"Numerous severe weather incidents will be possible over multiple states, ranging from damaging wind gusts to significant hail and perhaps a couple of dozen tornadoes spanning Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday evening," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said in the report. "Regardless of whether or not the event will reach outbreak proportions, all it takes is one tornado to strike a populated area, leading to multiple casualties. People should take the upcoming threat seriously."
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines