Nocturnal Tornado Risk Elevated for Next Several Days

A highly active weather pattern is bringing the threat of severe storms to the central U.S. through the weekend and into next week. One of the most worrisome dangers of this multi-day event will be the chance of nocturnal tornadoes striking when people are sound asleep. Here is what you need to know as the severe weather ramps up.

Nocturnal Tornadoes Pose Threat in the Coming Days

A large swath of the nation from Texas to the Ohio Valley will be under the gun for widespread thunderstorm activity in the days ahead. Possible impacts include damaging winds, drenching rainfall, flash flooding, and large hail. Forecasters are also warning that the storms are likely to linger into the overnight hours, supporting the development of nocturnal tornadoes.

Strong winds circulating in the lower and middle parts of the atmosphere will raise the chances that twisters spin up in the strongest storm cells. The overnight hours from Friday into Saturday will be a particularly precarious time for tornadoes.

Friday's late-night impacts could stretch for over 1,000 miles, cutting through a number of heavily populated urban areas across the Interstate 35 corridor. Cities in the line of fire include Dallas, Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, Wichita, Kansas City, and Des Moines.