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By Joe Edwards
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Large hail and damaging winds are forecast to threaten parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and New Mexico on Wednesday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, said hailstones could reach the size of tennis balls and winds could reach 70 miles per hour.
Why It Matters
Severe weather has been threatening swaths of the U.S. this week. The latest round of storms has led to warnings being issued across dozens of counties, highlighting the risk of flash flooding, hail damage and isolated wind-related power outages.
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What To Know
As of Wednesday morning, these six states have been issued with a variety of warnings from the NWS, alerting residents to the potential for severe weather.
Parts of New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma are under severe thunderstorm watches, with the latest of these in place until 8 a.m. CDT.
The NWS office in Tulsa said there is an elevated chance of tornadoes occurring, while the office in Norman, Oklahoma, said that hail could approach the size of baseballs.
Flood watches are also in place for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. Scattered flash flood warnings are also in effect throughout the region.
The service warned that excessive rainfall continues to be possible throughout these states, and that excessive runoff could result in the flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
"Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop," it advised.
What People Are Saying
AccuWeather meteorologist Gwendolyn Fieweger told Newsweek: "Several rounds of rain and heavy thunderstorms as well as already saturated soil will pose the greatest flood risk across far northeastern Texas through south-central Missouri.
"Rainfall will likely be the heaviest across a swath from just north of Dallas through far northwestern Arkansas."
The National Weather Service wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday: "Heavy to excessive rainfall may produce additional flash flooding Wednesday across parts of the Southern Plains where the greatest risk is along the Red River Valley into western Arkansas. Scattered severe thunderstorms are also possible centered on central Texas to eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Large hail, damaging wind, and a few tornadoes will be possible."
The NWS forecast office in Lubbock, Texas, wrote on X on Tuesday: "A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect from 11 PM Tuesday until 6 AM tomorrow with large hail, strong winds, and a few tornadoes possible. Make sure to have multiple ways to receive weather warnings!"
NWS Norman, Oklahoma, wrote on X on Wednesday: "More storms are developing across our area, and the I-44 corridor will be at risk through daybreak. We cannot state this enough - do NOT drive through flooded roadways at night."
What Happens Next
Severe weather is forecast to persist throughout most of the week, affecting a sizeable portion of the U.S. from Texas to New York and Pennsylvania.
Update 04/30/25, 11:12 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Gwendolyn Fieweger.
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