‘Consider having a helmet available’: CNN meteorologist warns of severe weather in these states
Alright, time now for weather. Conditions are improving for southeastern Texas after fast moving floodwaters swept in and killed a little boy on Sunday. First responders rescued hundreds of residents and at least 153 pets in Harris County over the weekend. But the big news today, possible tornadoes are expected across Oklahoma and Kansas. Our meteorologist, Derek Van Damme, tracking all of it for us. Derek, what are you seeing Casey? I don’t want to mince words here. Today is a day that if you’re located in this area of red or perhaps outwards from this area in orange and yellow. You want to know exactly where your shelter is located. You want to consider knowing where an underground shelter is located, and you also perhaps want to consider having a helmet available at a moment’s notice. This is a serious situation right now. It is a level three of four from the Storm Prediction Center. The potential here to go high, which is the highest level on their rating for potential of severe storm outbreaks, is possible. That’s in the cards this morning and the at the moment the exact wording from the Storm Prediction Center. Long track tornadoes. The Storm Prediction Center is saying explicitly that any storm that develops through the course of the day, specifically this afternoon and evening and into the overnight period, could produce intense tornadoes as it races across southern Kansas and into central Oklahoma. You can see Oklahoma City all the way to Wichita. This is the area where we have the greatest chances of EF 2 tornadoes. That’s a minimum of 111 mph, ranging as high as 200 plus mile per hour winds if some of those stronger tornadoes do develop. We want to consider the potential here for what they are calling giant sized hail throughout this area. They don’t use those terms lightly, just considering the nature of the environment that we’re working with here. There’s also the potential for Hurricane force wind gusts within this hatched area. So all hazards are on the table and look how this severe weather threat advances eastward, already an enhanced risk for the nation’s midsection by Wednesday of this week as well. Casey.