Millions of Americans under threat of tornadoes as spring storm season kicks in early in the US [View all]
Source: Associated Press
By JEFF MARTIN
Updated 3:05 PM EST, March 5, 2026
Concern is rising that the first major storm outbreak in the run-up to spring could strike the nations heartland, putting millions of Americans from Texas to Iowa at risk of potentially strong tornadoes.
More than 6 million Americans are at the highest risk of severe weather Friday in an area that includes the metropolitan areas of Kansas City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, according to the national Storm Prediction Center. Another 22 million people are at a slightly lesser risk in a zone that includes Oklahoma City; St. Louis; Omaha, Nebraska; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In parts of the eastern U.S., this weather pattern is also expected to usher in extremely warm temperatures for this time of year by the weekend.
Temperatures will be 20-30 degrees above average, with 80s reaching as far north as parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic, federal forecasters wrote in their long-range forecast discussion. Daily records could become widespread.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/severe-weather-storm-tornado-midwest-0fddc7167d16147b28583cf1e2c8c2bb