"Some big storms" causing damage in the Midwest
NORMAN, Okla. - A forecaster has warned that the ingredients necessary to "blow up some big storms" would fall into place Wednesday and Thursday and cautioned millions of residents in the middle of the country to be aware of worsening weather.
The Storm Prediction Center, in a midday update to its forecast Wednesday, upgraded to its second-highest advisory level - a moderate risk - while stressing that a significant tornado or two could form in a narrow stretch from northern Oklahoma to central Missouri.
Strong storms swamped Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Charleston, West Virginia, at midday Wednesday and forecasters said more severe weather could form as far away as the plains of West Texas.
Indiana State Police said high winds toppled a tractor-trailer on Interstate 69 near Evansville, while utilities reported a number of power outages after wind gusts reached 70 mph.
Fewer than 1 million people were in Wednesday's "moderate risk" area between Wichita, Kansas, and Jefferson City, Missouri, but 34 million were under at least a slight risk of seeing damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado.
Ohio residents were reporting extensive wind damage by midday Wednesday.
CBS affiliate WHIO in Dayton reports severe thunderstorms and hail across the southwest of the state and the Miami Valley.
Some locals in Bowersville, Ohio, said a tornado had touched down there, although officials have yet to confirm that.
Large hail, damaging winds and a number of tornadoes were possible Wednesday from the southern Plains eastward to Illinois. The focus shifts to the mid-Mississippi River Valley for Thursday, including Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis.
"Thursday will be the bigger day, but there's still potential (Wednesday) for significant storms in northeastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas and perhaps into Missouri," said Greg Carbin, the warning coordination meteorologist for the Storm Prediction Center in Norman. "We're not exactly sure how things will evolve in that corridor."
Heat, humidity, instability, an approaching front and the jet stream will all contribute to steadily worsening weather.
"By Thursday, it looks like all those ingredients come together. ... You can really blow up some big storms," Carbin said.
Areas that don't see strong storms Thursday could see heavy rain instead.
The Storm Prediction Center said Wednesday's storms in an area from Wichita, Kansas, to Joplin, Missouri, and on either side of the Kansas-Oklahoma border, could be significant - defined as having 2-inch hail, 75-mph winds and tornadoes rated at EF2 or higher.
On Thursday, similar storms were forecast for an area from the Arkansas-Missouri border to southern Wisconsin, including Chicago and St. Louis.
The week was already off to a blustery start. Emergency officials said a tornado touched down briefly Tuesday night in southeastern Kansas, and hail and high winds caused problems from St. Louis to southwestern Indiana.