Several states across the American Heartland are currently bracing for a once-in-a-generation stormy weather event involving tornadoes and heavy rains.
A report from AccuWeather on Monday described the event as a “firehose of moisture,” with thunderstorms and torrential downpours expected throughout the weekend.
States ranging from Arkansas to Kentucky and Ohio may see over a foot of rain over the course of just a few days, “triggering rapid, major and historic flooding,” per AccuWeather meteorologists.
The storms are projected to impact 46 million people, with at least 13 million in a high-risk or extreme-risk flood zone.
The severe weather is expected to last from Wednesday night to Saturday.
“That moisture plume, known as an atmospheric river, will be tropical in nature and originate from the Caribbean,” AccuWeather Senior Storm Warning Meteorologist William Clark said.
“Tropical moisture raises the risk of excessive rainfall,” he added.
The storm could pour four months’ worth of rain all at once.
“Should the amount of rain occur that we anticipate over the middle of the nation, it would exceed the 500 to 1,000-year average,” Clark added.
Are you being affected by this weather system?
“Truly, the potential is there for a historic flash flooding event.”
Fox Weather noted on Wednesday that the extreme weather comes with a heightened risk of powerful tornadoes.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center hiked Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana to a five out of five “high risk” warning, a rare risk level, the outlet said.
The last time such an alert came was on March 15, when 13 tornadoes touched down, killing seven people and injuring 12 others.
There was already an outbreak of tornadoes on Wednesday across the lower Mississippi Valley, even into the lower Ohio Valley and the middle part of the South.
A rare tornado emergency was issued this evening in northeastern Arkansas, including Bay, where this tornado was spotted from I-55. pic.twitter.com/i9IUuoUVCX
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) April 3, 2025
A likely tornado was spotted moving southwest of Saint Louis, near Old Mines, Missouri, this evening. pic.twitter.com/FbQaMTpXcs
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) April 2, 2025
An EF1 tornado tore through Nevada, Missouri, today, ripping roofs off homes and leaving behind scenes of destruction. pic.twitter.com/R6swPui8ls
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) April 3, 2025
A tornado spotted by the Tulsa Airport leaves behind a trail of damage in the Owassa suburb this morning, with trees down and homes heavily damaged. pic.twitter.com/tzH6JUnLMD
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) April 2, 2025
There is currently a threat of tornadoes ranking EF-3 or stronger.
Fox Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic, who spotted a large tornado near Lake City, Arkansas, said in response to the storm, “You need to be underground.”
“You will not survive this tornado if you are above ground,” he added.
Fire officials in Nevada, Missouri, told Fox Weather that a tornado struck the city on Wednesday morning, though there were no initial reports of injuries.
Residents provided the outlet with footage showing damaged buildings with missing roofs.
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