US weather forecast: More tornadoes predicted to occur on Sunday night, heavy rainfall, flash flooding warning issued

A slow-moving storm will continue to bring showers to portions of New England and upstate New York on Sunday. The mid-Atlantic states and the Midwest will dry out under a mix of clouds and sun.

Severe weather will ignite across the Plains into the overnight hours. The severe risk will extend from Nebraska to Texas and east through Missouri. The main risks will be large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. Some tornadoes may occur at night, making them difficult to see. The storms will come with a risk of heavy downpours, which may lead to flash flooding.

The risk of thunderstorms will extend into portions of the Southeast. Damaging winds and lightning will be the primary threats in these areas. The exception will be Florida, which is forecast to remain dry with a mostly sunny sky.


A large storm will continue to push across the western portions of the country, bringing showers and high-elevation snow to parts of the central and northern Rocky Mountains. There may be a couple of thunderstorms across the Rocky Mountains, which may pose a lightning danger.

An elevated fire threat is anticipated from eastern Arizona to West Texas on Monday due to low relative humidity, dry brush and a gusty breeze. Winds are forecast to gust at 40 to 60 mph, which will lead to blowing dust due to an ongoing drought in the region.

Residents in Kentucky and Missouri sifted through damage in tornado-stricken neighborhoods and cleared debris Sunday after severe storms swept through parts of the Midwest and South and killed more than two dozen people.

Kentucky was hardest hit as a devastating tornado damaged hundreds of homes, tossed vehicles and left many homeless. At least 18 people were killed, most of them in southeastern Laurel County. Ten more people were critically injured with state leaders saying the death toll could still rise.

The latest Kentucky storms were part of a weather system Friday that killed seven in Missouri and two in northern Virginia, authorities said. The system also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, brought punishing heat to Texas and temporarily enveloped parts of Illinois — including Chicago — in a pall of dust on an otherwise sunny day.

About 1,200 tornadoes strike the U.S. annually, and they have been reported in all 50 states over the years. Researchers found in 2018 that deadly tornadoes were happening less frequently in the traditional “Tornado Alley” of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas and more frequently in parts of the more densely populated and tree-filled mid-South.

FAQs

Q1. How many tornadoes strike US?
A1. About 1,200 tornadoes strike the U.S. annually, and they have been reported in all 50 states over the years.

Q2. Where are tornadoes striking frequently?
A2. Researchers found in 2018 that deadly tornadoes were happening less frequently in the traditional “Tornado Alley” of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas and more frequently in parts of the more densely populated and tree-filled mid-South.