Published March 31, 2023 12:41pm EDT
Rare 'High' risk issued as 87 million brace for severe weather including strong tornadoes, destructive winds
About 3 million people reside inside the SPC's High/Extreme Risk outlook for severe weather, which is reserved for only the most dire of severe weather events. But dangerous long-tracked and intense tornadoes, golf ball-size hail and damaging wind gusts over 75 mph are likely across a wide swath of the Midwest and South Friday.
By Scott Sistek , Brian Donegan Source FOX Weather
Northern tier: Possible tornadoes and significant damaging wind threat
One area of heightened concern covers eastern Iowa, northwestern Illinois, southwestern Wisconsin and eastern Missouri, which is close to where a deepening area of low pressure will sweep across the region. That includes St. Louis, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids in Iowa and Peoria, Illinois.
This atmospheric setup will produce supercells across this region capable of intense wind gusts, large hail, and a few stronger tornadoes -- perhaps rating EF-2 or stronger.
"The Storm Prediction Center in their (Friday) morning update specifically mentioned Missouri, Iowa and Illinois for the potential for long track tornadoes," FOX Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin said. "Those are very dangerous storms that can stay on the ground for over an hour. So to have that double component of strong straight line winds and a tornadic ability — that’s some scary stuff."
But as the day progresses here, the storm system is expected to evolve into a dangerous line of severe thunderstorms creating significant threats of damaging wind gusts that reach or exceed 75 mph.
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https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/severe-weather-outbreak-strong-tornadoes-destructive-winds-midwest-south
