Tornado threats are escalating for millions across the South as severe storms intensify, marking the start of the spring severe weather season. Forecasters have raised the severe storm risk to Level 3 out of 5 for a narrow region in western Oklahoma and parts of northern Texas, where storms could generate EF-2 or stronger tornadoes. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has also highlighted Friday as the day with the highest risk of large hail, damaging wind gusts, and tornadoes. A multi-day severe weather threat is affecting Texas, the Plains, and the Midwest as thunderstorms develop across the central U.S. The SPC has identified Friday as the peak day for severe conditions, with the dryline—a boundary between dry air from the Rockies and humid air from the Gulf—playing a key role. This dryline is expected to shift eastward, increasing the risk of intense storms. Lower-level winds, reaching 5,000 feet above the surface, are forecast to strengthen near Kansas City and toward Oklahoma City and Dallas, creating favorable conditions for supercells and heightened tornado threats. Hail and lightning have already impacted areas like Barnhart, Missouri, and Crowley, Texas, with severe weather continuing through the week. The FOX Forecast Center warns of a significant tornado threat, with storms potentially reaching EF-2 strength or stronger. The SPC’s new Conditional Intensity (CIG) tools are helping forecasters identify high-intensity threats even when storm coverage is scattered. Severe weather is expected to persist through Saturday morning, affecting much of the Central and Southern Plains and the Mississippi Valley. While tornadoes remain the primary concern, large hail—exceeding 3 inches in diameter—will also pose a major risk, particularly on the northern side of the storm system.#storm_prediction_center #severe_weather #fox_forecast_center #tornado_threat #dryline
