Severe weather threat looms again for areas already pummeled by tornadoes -- from Arkansas to Kentucky
Nearly 40 million Americans, from Arkansas to Kentucky, may see storms producing tornadoes, strong winds, large hail and flash flooding on Tuesday, including those already hard-hit by storms over the weekend.
As of Tuesday afternoon, parts of 10 states were under tornado watches -- Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama and Georgia. A few tornadoes are likely and some could be intense. In addition, widespread damaging gusts to 70 mph and scattered large hail is also possible.
The renewed threat of severe weather comes after more than a dozen tornadoes were reported overnight -- from Texas to Illinois -- and destructive winds greater than 70 mph were reported in parts of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, where hail the size of grapefruit was spotted falling from the sky.
More than 80,000 people were without power across five states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri.
Several of those areas will be impacted again on Tuesday, as storms begin to move east from Texas to Kentucky.
In addition, there's an enhanced risk of severe weather from Greenville, Mississippi, to Louisville, Kentucky. Memphis, Nashville and London, Kentucky -- which was hit by a powerful twister over the weekend -- are also under the threat of these severe storms.
These areas could see winds reaching 75 mph, possible strong tornadoes and large hail. Flood watches are also in place for most of Kentucky and western West Virginia.
The National Weather Service confirmed on Tuesday the destructive storm that hit London on Friday night was a powerful EF-4 tornado with winds up to 170 mph. The tornado was on the ground for more than 50 miles as it tore a path of destruction across Pulaski and Laurel counties in the southeastern part of the state and was nearly a mile wide at times.
A line of storms, stretching from Indianapolis through Louisville, Nashville and into Mississippi, is expected to progress east through the late-night hours, eventually into eastern Kentucky, Tennessee into North Carolina and Virginia.
Showers and thunderstorms are expected to reach the mid-Atlantic on Wednesday morning, especially targeting North Carolina and Virginia. The threat for severe weather is low, but damaging winds and even tornadoes are still possible.
Rain is expected to hit Washington, D.C., and New York on Wednesday and Boston on Thursday and Friday.
