Tornadoes and severe storms caused widespread issues in the Plains and Midwest amid the week's most dangerous threat.

More than 35 million Americans from Wisconsin to Oklahoma are at risk of a severe weather outbreak on Friday, including some areas that have already seen destructive storms this week. As storms develop Friday afternoon, there is a chance for discrete supercells with very large hail, strong tornadoes and destructive, straight-line winds.

A widespread severe thunderstorm outbreak is unfolding across nine states from the southern Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley today, Friday April 17, 2026, with the Storm Prediction Center

A significant severe weather outbreak is underway across several East Coast states Monday afternoon as a powerful storm system brings heavy rain and damaging winds to millions of Americans. Multiple tornado watches are in effect from the Florida panhandle up the East Coast into New Jersey,

An active, stormy April weather pattern is in full-swing, and the Storm Prediction Center has highlighted parts of the U.S. Great Plains for a level 4/5 (Moderate) severe risk for Friday. —

However, the cold front will quickly overtake storms, causing them all to merge into a windy squall line. Tornado and hail risk will decrease, though a few spin-up tornadoes are still possible. Instead, widespread 60 to 75 mph wind gusts will accompany the squall.

Minnesota will be interesting because temperatures will warm into the 60s and 70s, while dew points rise into the 50s and 60s. That’ll set the stage for more than enough energy, which is known as CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy). If storms fire, they’ll have enough juice to get a little rambunctious.

It's been a siege of severe weather this week. Another rash of storms is firing up in some of the same areas hit earlier. Our latest forecast shows where tornadoes, hail and flooding rain could happen again.