Weather Map Reveals Today’s Storms, Tornado Risk Update

Those living in the central United States have been warned to expect another wave of inclement weather over the Memorial Day weekend, with thunderstorms forecast across the central Plains and heat warnings for the Gulf Coast and southern Texas.

According to a map produced by the National Weather Service (NWS) on Saturday, there is a 15 percent risk of tornadoes for a section of Oklahoma and southern Kansas, with a reduced 2 percent risk area stretching well into neighboring Texas, Missouri and Nebraska.

Over the past few weeks, significant stretches of the country have suffered from dangerous weather, with President Joe Biden issuing a presidential disaster declaration for parts of Texas. The state has been hit by a wave of extreme weather since late April, which has included powerful thunderstorms triggering flooding and tornadoes. On Thursday, a tornado tore through Olustee, Oklahoma, with footage widely shared on social media. The NWS has also issued a “critical-to-extreme fire weather” warning for New Mexico on Saturday.

The NWS map also shows there is a 5 percent tornado risk on Sunday to most of Kentucky, along with southern parts of Indiana and Illinois and eastern sections of Missouri, with a lower 2 percent risk extending further out.

Newsweek has reached out to the NWS via email for further comment.

In its latest short-range forecast, published at 3:05 a.m. ET on Saturday, the NWS forecast heavy thunderstorms for parts of the Great Plains.

“The start of this Memorial Day weekend will featur