Forecasters warn Oklahoma could see tornadoes; Texas could cook in triple-digit temperatures

KEN MILLER, Associated Press

42 minutes ago

A spectator cools herself with a small electric fan as temperatures soar into the 90s Fahrenheit while she and her friends watch Team USA’s cricket match against Bangladesh, part of a three-match series T20I at Prairie View Cricket Complex on Saturday May 25. 2024, in Houston. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Forecasters warned Saturday of another day of increased risk of dangerous tornadoes across the Midwest and told South Texas residents they could see triple-digit temperatures — and that’s four weeks into summer.

The Oklahoma Weather Service likened the day to “a pile of gasoline-soaked brush.” Forecasters aren’t sure if storms will form, but those that do could explode with large hail, dangerous winds and tornadoes.

“There is a small chance that most matches will be missed and we only see a few storms today. Still, it’s not a matchup I’d want to play. It only takes one storm to make an impact,” the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, wrote on Facebook.

Excessive heat, especially in May, is the danger in South Texas, where the heat index is expected to approach 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) through the weekend. The region is at the northern end of a heat dome that stretches from Mexico to South America, said Zack Taylor, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Sunday looks to be the warmest day with record highs for the late May forecast for Austin, Brownsville, Dallas and San Antonio, Taylor said.

The temperature was near 90 degrees F (32 degrees) and the heat index was 104 F (40 C) in Brownsville, on the U.S.-Mexico border, mid-morning Saturday, according to National Weather Service.

Red Flag Fire Warnings are also in place in West Texas, all of New Mexico, and parts of Oklahoma, Arizona, and Colorado, with very low humidity below 10%. and wind gusts of up to 60 mph (97 km/h) combine with the warm temperatures. .

“We have very dry air, warm temperatures and strong winds creating a high fire risk over a large area… which can lead to rapid spread or uncontrollable fires,” Taylor said.

Meanwhile, several inches of snow fell Friday morning in Rolla, North Dakota, about 10 miles from the Canadian border.

April and May were a busy month for tornadoes, especially in the Midwest. Climate change is increasing the severity of storms around the world.

April saw the second highest number of tornadoes on record in the country. And in 2024, the United States is already 25% ahead of the average number of tornadoes, according to the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

Iowa has been the hardest hit so far this week. A deadly tornado devastated Greenfield. And other storms caused flooding and wind damage elsewhere in the state.

The storm system causing the severe weather is expected to move east as the Memorial Day weekend continues, bringing rain that could delay Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 race in Indiana and more severe storms in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky.

The risk of severe weather shifts to North Carolina and Virginia on Monday, forecasters said.