Weather Channel warns of Level 4 tornado risk in Kansas, Nebraska
Weather Channel forecasters warned Monday could bring a rare Level 4 out of 5 tornado risk for parts of Kansas and Nebraska after a dangerous severe weather outbreak hit the Plains and Upper Midwest on Sunday.
The latest forecast called for strong, long-track tornadoes, giant hail and widespread damaging winds. Sunday’s storms already produced tornadoes, large hail up to 3.5 inches in diameter and damage across Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota.
Nebraska Storm Damage
Storm trackers captured video and images of a large tornado moving across central Nebraska, while multiple tornado warnings were issued, including a rare Tornado Emergency near Hebron. Damaging winds knocked out power to thousands across portions of South Dakota near the Nebraska border, and reports included damaged buildings, overturned campers, downed trees and power lines.
Large hail also fell in parts of Nebraska, and tornado-warned storms pushed into the Omaha metro area and western Iowa overnight. A tornado was also captured crossing in front of a traffic camera along Interstate 29 near Salix, Iowa.
Omaha Warning Area
The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for parts of the Omaha metro area as a dangerous severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado moved northeast at 55 mph. The storm was located over La Vista near Ralston around 8:14 p.m. CT and had a history of producing tornadoes earlier near the Platte River northeast of Ashland.
The warning covered southeastern Omaha, Bellevue, Council Bluffs, Carter Lake and surrounding communities through 9 p.m. CT. People in the warning area were urged to take shelter immediately in a sturdy building on the lowest floor away from windows.
Kansas and Nebraska Monday Risk
Monday’s forecast is the next step in the outbreak. The Storm Prediction Center’s Level 4 out of 5 risk covered parts of Kansas and Nebraska, a higher-end warning area for a day that forecasters said could again turn dangerous across the central Plains.
For readers in those states, the practical move is simple: treat the forecast as a shelter-ready day, especially in the counties included in the rare high-end risk area. Sunday’s damage shows the outbreak has already produced tornadoes, hail and power outages; Monday’s setup gives it another chance to do the same.
