Tornado Watch in Place for 9 States as Severe Weather Hits
Newsweek Breaking News Card
Tornado watches are active in nine states in the early hours of Wednesday, following days of rough weather in the central U.S., which is often referred to as “Tornado Alley.”
The states included in the tornado watch are Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.
The watches are widest in Arkansas and Kentucky, with multiple counties under tornado watch until 6 a.m. CDT. although some states only have a handful of counties under watch.
A tornado watch is declared when conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop. People living in affected areas are urged to be on alert for a warning to be issued.
A tornado warning was in place in Arkansas until 1:45 a.m. CDT.
On Monday, several states were struck by tornadoes and severe storms, causing extensive damage.
Oklahoma was the worst affected, with the city of Barnsdall being badly hit just weeks after being struck by another tornado.
At least one person was killed in the city, which has a population of around 1,000 people, and several buildings and homes were badly damaged.
The central U.S. is particularly prone to twisters because of a variety of factors, especially its flat terrain, where warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cooler, drier air from the north creating instability.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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