Texas Braces As Forecasters Double Down on Devastating Forecast

THIS IS SCARY.

I do not like leading off an article with what seems to be an exaggeration. This is not.

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is warning residents from Texas to the Great Lakes of an imminent tornado outbreak on Wednesday. Here's a quote from the SPC that is alarming:

"...Numerous tornadoes, along with multiple long-track EF3+ tornadoes appear likely."

Storm Prediction Center

The map above shows the probability of tornadoes for Wednesday's severe weather event.

Devastating Tornadoes Possible

North Texas to New York is at risk for tornadoes, but the greatest threat will be for folks from Shreveport to Indianapolis (hatched area). Anyone from Little Rock to Evansville, Indiana (red/purple shaded areas) is in the bull's-eye for those long-track, EF3+ tornadoes.

According to the Enhanced Fujita Scale, an EF3 tornado is capable of producing severe damage with winds from 136-165 mph. A few of today's tornadoes could go higher than EF3.

Storm Prediction Center

Rarely do you see the SPC issue a 'high risk' area on a severe weather map, but confidence is high that Memphis to the southern tip of Indiana will experience significant severe weather on Wednesday.

Focusing on Texas

Texas may not be in the 'worst of the worst' designation on the severe weather and tornado maps, but the I-20 and I-30 corridors from Abilene to the ArkLaTex are in the 'enhanced' threat area.

Storm Prediction Center

The map above shows the hail threat for Wednesday. The hatched area within the yellow and red shaded regions shows the places that are at the highest risk for storms producing hail larger than a golf ball.

But Wait...There's More

Unfortunately, the severe weather threat will be a daily thing through Saturday.

Storm Prediction Center

This forecast map shows the severe weather threat for Thursday. Lufkin to Abilene to the same areas of the Midwest will be in harm's way.

Have a Safety Plan in Place

Have multiple ways to keep up to date with weather alerts. Downloading our station app is one of those ways.

Get our free mobile app

Think ahead and have a safety plan in place should severe weather threaten your area.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF

Little Rock Tornado Damage - March 31

A giant swath of severe weather unleashed numerous violent tornadoes across the Midwest and South on March 31. Here are photos of the damage from one of those twisters that struck the western side of Little Rock, Arkansas

Gallery Credit: Danny Merrell

The Strongest Earthquakes in East Texas History

Here's a look (in no particular order at some of the strongest earthquakes in East Texas in modern history. Some of these tremors were centered in East Texas, while the epicenters of other quakes were in neighboring states, but the effects were felt in East Texas.

Gallery Credit: Danny Merrell

Damage from Hurricane Ike

A look back at the damage along Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula from Hurricane Ike. The storm was a category 2 hurricane that brought damages in excess of $30 billion. All pictures are from Getty Images.

Gallery Credit: Danny Merrell

Filed Under: Lufkin Weather, Nacogdoches Weather, severe weather, tornadoes

Categories: East Texas News, Weather