Spring might be on the way in the US after some pretty chilly months but that also brings spring storm season — and for millions of Americans it looks as if it’s starting early. According to the National Weather Service a swathe of states from Texas through to Iowa are set to be battered by severe thunderstorms, hailstones and, in some cases, even tornadoes. (Picture: Getty Images)
The storms have already been causing havoc across parts of Texas, where earlier this week Dallas experienced severe weather which led to flooding, structural damage to buildings and record levels of precipitation. (Picture: Garland Fire Department)
Meanwhile the city’s Dallas Fort Worth airport recorded record rainfall of 1.55 inches on Wednesday — breaking the previous record of 1.27 which had stood for nearly 90 years since 1937. Nearby areas including Mesquite and Seagoville registered even higher levels of rainfall, ranging from around four to eight inches. Flooding was also reported on the NB I-95 near Hutchins, with Fox 4 News saying locals described the road as ‘like a river’. (Picture: Garland Fire Departmen)
In nearby Garland, Texas, the intense rainfall was blamed for a roof collapsing at a commercial building (pictured) on Wednesday, with emergency crews responding to reports that a buildup of water had caused the roof to give way. Nobody was injured in the incident, which saw seven workers evacuated from the premises. (Picture: Garland Fire Department)
However, the weather front is expected to impact states including Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma on Friday, with warnings of large hailstones, high winds and potentially even tornadoes. More than six million people could be affected by the conditions, with the National Storm Prediction Centre saying the metropolitan areas of Kansas City and Tulsa could be among those battered. (Credits: Getty Images)
AccuWeather explained the factors behind the current conditions, saying: ‘The primary setup will involve a surge of warm, humid air from the Gulf colliding with cooler air arriving from the Pacific and southern Canada, along with strong winds high in the atmosphere. Storm systems and fronts moving through this corridor will serve as the focus for severe thunderstorms.’ (Picture: Garland Fire Department)
A further 22 million people in a zone which includes Oklahoma City, Omaha in Nebraska and Milwaukee in Wisconsin are also in the firing line for the storm — although thought to be at less risk. However, that’s not the only extreme weather that many parts of the US are facing with other areas expected to welcome summer-like temperatures this weekend (even though it’s only March). The likes of Washington, D.C. may well see the mercury rise as high as 77°F (25°C) by Tuesday before dropping to 50°F (10°C) before the week is out. ‘Temperatures will be 20-30 degrees above average, with 80s reaching as far north as parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic,’ wrote federal forecasters. ‘Daily records could become widespread.’ (Picture: Getty Images)Add as preferred source