Severe Weather Threatens 45 million from Texas to New York; Flash Flooding Expected from Texas to Missouri

A powerful storm system is sweeping across the central and eastern United States, threatening severe weather on Tuesday for more than 45 million people—from Texas to New York—under threat of severe weather on Tuesday.

Overnight, dozens of reports documented large hail, damaging wind gusts, and at least two tornadoes across the Heartland. As the system moves east, multiple severe thunderstorm watches are now in effect from Texas through Ohio.

The National Weather Service has identified two areas of heightened risk: one stretching from Louisville, Kentucky, through Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo, New York; the other covering parts of Texas and Oklahoma. Storms in these areas could produce wind gusts up to 75 mph, large hail, and possibly isolated tornadoes.

In addition to the severe thunderstorm threat, life-threatening flash flooding is a major concern from Texas to Missouri, particularly across Oklahoma, where 3 to 7 inches of rain are forecast through Wednesday. The rain will fall on already saturated ground, raising the risk of rapid flooding in vulnerable areas.

Residents from Waco and Dallas, Texas, to Little Rock, Arkansas, are urged to stay alert and monitor local weather alerts as the storm system continues its path.