CNN
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Severe weather capable of producing wind gusts in excess of 80 mph, hail greater than 2 inches in diameter and tornadoes is expected Thursday, for the sixth day in a row for portions of the South and Plains.
The latest round of storms comes on the heels of more than 300 storm reports Wednesday, continuing a long streak of active weather.
The area under threat Thursday, covers a large swath from Colorado to South Carolina, with the greatest potential across portions of Oklahoma and Kansas.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed a Level 4 of 5 moderate risk of severe weather for the area, which includes Oklahoma City and Norman, Oklahoma.
“Be prepared for hail up to the size of baseballs and winds up to 80 mph with the stronger storms, as well as a medium risk for tornadoes,” warned the National Weather Service office in Norman. “The severe window will start in western Oklahoma between 3pm and 5pm and continue until storms exit the southeastern parts of the forecast area by 3am.”
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Areas around Wichita Falls, Texas, are under a Level 3 of 5 enhanced risk of severe weather.
A much broader area of severe weather extends from western Kansas, south to central Texas and east to the Florida Panhandle. The Level 2 of 5 slight risk of severe weather covers more than 16 million people and includes places like the Dallas Metroplex; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Tallahassee, Florida.
“The areas most susceptible to another round of large hail and possibly some damaging winds will be eastern North TX down into far eastern Central TX east of I-45 could get into the mix as well,” the weather service office in Dallas said.
Lastly, a widespread area of a Level 1 of 5 marginal risk of severe weather covers from eastern Colorado to South Carolina.
While it is not in the main threat area, people should not let their guard down because of the potential for damaging winds and very large hail. An isolated tornado could spin up as well.
In addition to the severe weather threat, the same areas should also monitor the potential for flooding. With days of rain over the same areas, the ground is becoming quite saturated.
“A continued threat of heavy rain through the day with potential for several inches to fall within bands of training convection,” is being warned by the weather service office in Mobile, Alabama.
The multiday severe threat will continue Friday and through the weekend, as storms continue to develop each day along a stalled frontal boundary draped across the South.
Wednesday’s severe threat brought more than 300 storm reports across the South and Plains.
There were at least 100 hail reports and more than 200 wind reports, which knocked out power to more than 100,000 homes.
Baseball to tennis ball-sized hail was reported in Alabama and hail greater than 5 inches was reported in Mississippi.
Of the 10 tornado reports, five were reported in Georgia, two in Texas and three in Alabama.