At least 6 killed from destructive tornadoes as severe weather outbreak devastates America’s Heartland

A severe weather outbreak is devastating parts of the Plains and Midwest, where at least 6 were killed on Friday evening amid damaging tornadoes and “monster” hail.

The massive severe weather threat is targeting more than 63 million people, spanning more than 1,500 miles from Texas to Michigan.

Four of those fatalities were reported in two counties in southwestern Michigan, where powerful tornadoes tore through Union City.

In Oklahoma, the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed two deaths after severe storms moved through central parts of the state.

In Southwestern Michigan, the Branch County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday evening that at least three deaths have been reported after a strong, dangerous tornado ripped through the Union Lake area

Sheriff Frederick A. Blankenship is urging residents to avoid the affected areas to allow emergency personnel to safely conduct response and recovery operations from the area that was battered by severe weather today.

This comes on the heels of deadly severe storms that rumbled through the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma Thursday. 

One additional death has been reported in Cass County after a tornado ripped through the southwestern Michigan county, officials announced in a press release.

Cass County Emergency Management reports that multiple large structures — including homes and pole barns — have sustained significant damage, with some suffering major structural impacts and others completely destroyed

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said Friday that a mother and daughter were killed in Major County during Thursday night’s storms. The emergency management department in Fairview, Oklahoma, shared video on social media of a large possible tornado just west of the city late Thursday. 

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Norman confirmed at least three tornadoes by midday Friday, with surveys still ongoing.

FOX Weather Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari tracked a spotter-confirmed tornado Thursday night outside of Quail, Texas.

On Friday, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center issued a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms across parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, the first round of storms is expected to develop during the mid-to-late afternoon as an area of low pressure close to the surface moves across Kansas and the Missouri Valley.

The atmosphere will be able to support supercell thunderstorms capable of generating hail larger than 3 inches in diameter, and tornadoes. 

Strong tornadoes are possible from Kansas City to Wichita to Oklahoma City during the early evening hours Friday.

Overnight, as a cold front pushes farther east-southeast, damaging wind gusts, hail and tornadoes will be possible from Illinois southward through Oklahoma and northeastern Texas.