A possible derecho could hit the central United States on Sunday with damaging winds and large hail

The central United States is bracing for what could be a potentially dangerous end to the weekend as forecasters monitor the threat of severe weather Sunday, including the possibility of a derecho that could sweep through parts of Kansas and of Oklahoma with damaging wind gusts in excess of 100 mph. and baseball-sized hail.

This follows another deadly derecho that hit Texas and Louisiana on Thursday, blasting the Houston metro area with winds of up to 100 mph that left at least seven dead and more than a million customers without electricity.

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Sunday marks the start of a multi-day, multi-state severe weather threat that is expected to affect millions of people from the Plains to the Midwest at least through Tuesday, although the severe weather threat continues in the central states -United at least until the middle of this period. upcoming work week.

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NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) increased the severe weather threat Sunday and is focusing on central Kansas, where the threat of damaging wind gusts and large hail is highest.

The threat will extend east Monday and Tuesday, putting tens of millions of people in the Plains and Midwest at risk of severe weather.

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Potential derecho could blow up central US today

The SPC said severe thunderstorms are expected to develop in parts of Kansas and Oklahoma starting late this afternoon and lasting into the evening, which includes the possibility of a derecho.

“Damaging winds of 80 to 100 mph may occur, with localized extreme wind gusts exceeding 100 mph,” the SPC said in its forecast discussion. “Very large hail and a few tornadoes are also expected.”

Due to the threat, the SPC has placed nearly 570,000 people in Kansas at a Level 4 out of 5 risk on its 5-point Severe Thunderstorm Risk Scale.

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This includes Dodge City, Great Bend, Salina and areas just north of Wichita.

However, the threat of bad weather is not limited to these regions.

The SPC also placed about 850,000 people in Kansas and parts of northwest Oklahoma at a Level 3 of 5 risk.

This threat includes Topeka, Wichita and Hays in Kansas, as well as Woodward in Oklahoma.

Life-threatening lightning, tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and large hail will all be possible from severe thunderstorms developing in the area on Sunday.

And while there is a tornado threat in parts of Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska, forecasters say they are far more concerned about the threat of damaging wind gusts and bullet-sized hail. baseball.

The SPC said Sunday that there is a higher risk of developing supercell thunderstorms that could form as arc echoes as they sweep across the region.

“Now we’re going to watch for damaging winds,” said FOX meteorologist Craig Herrera. “And when we talk about damaging winds, you’re talking about wind gusts of 75 mph or more. You’re thinking about sustained hurricane winds of 74 mph. Those are gusts, but a gust that fast and that fast at 75 mph or more. can still do damage.”

And some of these storms on Sunday could produce wind gusts as strong as a Category 2 hurricane.

The SPC said there could be wind gusts of 80 to 100 mph, with localized areas reaching gusts above 100 mph.