Severe storms threaten 50 million in central US as tornado and hail risk rises

A fresh wave of severe weather is set to impact the central United States from Friday, placing more than 50 million people at risk as forecasters warn of tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds.

The [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration](chatgpt://generic-entity?number=0)’s Storm Prediction Center has issued a level 3 risk across a nearly 700-mile stretch from Oklahoma City through Kansas City to La Crosse, Wisconsin, with the Chicago metropolitan area also under watch.

Forecasters said conditions could produce supercell thunderstorms capable of generating EF-3 tornadoes, with wind speeds reaching up to 165 miles per hour in parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota and northeast Iowa.

The same system is also expected to bring large hail, with some stones potentially exceeding three inches in diameter.

The latest threat comes as parts of the Great Lakes region continue to deal with severe flooding, with areas in Michigan and Wisconsin already inundated.

Earlier this week, an EF-3 tornado with wind speeds of around 140 miles per hour struck Union Center in Wisconsin, damaging homes and blocking roads.

More than three dozen tornado sightings and over 300 reports of large hail, including softball-sized impacts, have been recorded since the start of the week.

Rivers across more than 20 locations in Michigan and Wisconsin have risen to major or record levels, with authorities describing the flooding as unprecedented.