St. Louis, MO – Severe thunderstorms are expected to impact a wide swath of the central U.S. through early Monday morning, bringing risks of large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes from northeast Texas to the Ohio Valley.
According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, the storms will begin Sunday afternoon across Missouri and Illinois, expanding southward into Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee by evening. The system is expected to remain active overnight, with peak hazards continuing until at least 6 a.m. Monday.
The primary threats include hail larger than 2.5 inches in diameter, wind gusts exceeding 70 mph, and several tornadoes—some potentially strong. Cities including Little Rock, Memphis, St. Louis, Louisville, Indianapolis, and Columbus fall within the enhanced risk zone. Areas under red-dashed zones face the greatest tornado potential, while green-dashed areas indicate heightened large hail risk.
Residents are urged to stay weather-aware, review emergency plans, and prepare to seek shelter if warnings are issued. Travel disruptions and power outages are possible.
This severe event follows a relatively calm start to spring but mirrors similar high-risk systems seen in late March historically. Officials recommend monitoring weather.gov or spc.noaa.gov for updates and local alerts.
