According to the Center for Storm Forecasting, a strong thunderstorm monitoring was issued for parts of the Midwest until 22:00 CT on Thursday. The watch was designated as “Extremely Dangerous” or “PDS” – a ranking that accounts for less than 3% of watches and is reserved for high-end events.
“A fruitful event is expected with wind damage from northeastern Nebraska in southeastern South Dakota and northwestern Iowa / southwestern Minnesota,” the SPC said, adding that widespread destructive winds and gusts of up to 105 mph are possible, along with hail up to 2 inches wide. several tornadoes.
Across the region, more than 20 million people were under some serious threat from Thursday night and night weather.
According to the National Weather Service, winds of at least 107 mph were recorded in parts of Hutchinson County in southern South Dakota on Thursday – equal to those of a Category 2 hurricane. In Nebraska and South Dakota, more than two dozen locations reported winds from at least 80 miles per hour, according to the meteorological service.
In Sioux Falls, the service said it had received reports of “structural damage and fallen trees” as a result of the winds. The Meteorological Service tweeted a photo warning of poor road visibility due to the mixing of strong winds with dust in parts of Nebraska. “Wait if you travel,” the agency called.
A tornado clock has been issued for western and central Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota until midnight local time, according to the SPC. Strong gusts of wind and “very heavy hail” are also likely, the center said.
Some of the larger cities that need to be aware of the potential for severe weather include Minneapolis / Saint. Paul in Minnesota, Omaha in Nebraska, Sioux City in Iowa and, to a lesser extent, Des Moines, Iowa. Although all the dangers are on the table, including the tornado, the biggest risks seem to be harmful rectilinear winds and hail.
As storms hit the region, more than 76,000 customers were left without electricity in Minnesota on Thursday night, and more than 38,000 others in South Dakota, according to poweroutage.us. More than 18,000 customers were without electricity in Minnesota, according to the website. Get ahead of time: Sign up for weekly email updates from CNN meteorologists
Storms are fed by hot temperatures
The latest storms come after severe weather broke out on Wednesday and a new round of storms brought more than 130 reports of hail, wind and tornadoes in the same region on Monday.
These storms are fueled by temperatures in the region, which are more common in mid-July.
All Thursday, temperature records were broken from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, with all states, including Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin, recording temperatures in the 1990s in some areas.
The combination of heat and humidity helped pave the way for storms.
“The warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico has risen north across the plains and the Upper Midwest, pushing those temperatures out until the 1990s,” CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward said.
“The warm and juicy air mass provides enough energy to feed strong storms with gusts of wind over hurricane force, hail the size of a baseball and even a tornado,” Ward added.
The peak of the tornado season
According to the SPC, May is the statistical peak of the tornado season in the United States with the most tornadoes reported each month. Peak activity in the upper Midwest may continue until the end of May and even June, as the jet stream usually pulls north later in the spring.
Regardless of statistics and monthly averages, the SPC is able to identify areas that are most at risk of severe weather conditions.
Just like the forecast for Thursday, the conditions are favorable for severe weather – but this does not necessarily mean that you will experience destructive winds, hail or tornadoes.
However, it is best to have a plan for you and your family if severe storms threaten. This includes many ways to receive severe weather warnings, such as text messages or NOAA weather radio.
CNN’s Taylor Ward contributed to this report.
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