Daily Weather Update from FOX Weather: Erick to become a hurricane, could spread heavy rain northward to Texas
Top weather news for Tuesday, June 17, 2025: Tropical Storm Erick formed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and has a high likelihood of becoming a hurricane on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a dangerous severe weather threat continues across the central U.S. today.
Weather in America: June 17, 2025
FOX Weather has you covered with the breaking forecasts and weather news headlines for your Weather in America on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Get the latest from FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin.
Welcome to the Daily Weather Update from FOX Weather. It's Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Start your day with everything you need to know about today's weather. You can also get a quick briefing of national, regional and local weather whenever you like with the FOX Weather Update podcast.
Tropical Storm Erick to become a hurricane, could bring heavy rain as far north as Texas
Tropical Storm Erick formed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean early Tuesday morning about 450 miles southeast of Punta Maldonado, Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Erick is the fifth named storm of this year's Eastern Pacific hurricane season, and it could be the first named storm in either the Atlantic or Eastern Pacific basins to make landfall. It has a high likelihood of becoming a hurricane on Wednesday.
(FOX Weather)
Tornadoes reported in Midwest, record 101-mph wind gust blasts Wichita as severe weather threat continues
Severe weather tore across portions of the Midwest on Monday and Monday night, producing tornadoes in Minnesota and Nebraska while powerful thunderstorms produced hurricane-force wind gusts and baseball-sized hail.
Among the notable severe weather reports was a wind gust of 101 mph in Wichita, Kansas, at 4:22 a.m. CT Tuesday morning as the storms charged across the central Plains overnight and into the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday. The 101-mph wind gust tied the all-time highest gust ever measured in Wichita.
![This image shows a massive tornado spinning near Dickens, Nebraska, on Monday, June 16, 2025.]()
Image 1 of 4This image shows a massive tornado spinning near Dickens, Nebraska, on Monday, June 16, 2025. (Lincoln County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
![This image shows a massive tornado spinning near Dickens, Nebraska, on Monday, June 16, 2025.]()
Image 2 of 4This image shows a massive tornado spinning near Dickens, Nebraska, on Monday, June 16, 2025. (Lincoln County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
![This image shows a massive tornado spinning near Dickens, Nebraska, on Monday, June 16, 2025.]()
Image 3 of 4This image shows a massive tornado spinning near Dickens, Nebraska, on Monday, June 16, 2025. (Lincoln County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
![This image shows a tornado in Lake Shore, Minnesota, on Monday, June 16, 2025.]()
Image 4 of 4This image shows a tornado in Lake Shore, Minnesota, on Monday, June 16, 2025. (Corey Gerken)
The severe weather threat will continue on Tuesday, with a Level 4 out of 5 risk of severe storms posted across portions of western and central Kansas. Destructive wind gusts, giant hail and a few tornadoes are all significant threats across the central Plains and the lower and mid-Missouri Valley.
(FOX Weather)
3-year-old among 6 killed in West Virginia flash flooding with more still missing
At least six people have been killed, and at least two others remain unaccounted for after dangerous flash flooding impacted Wheeling, West Virginia, and surrounding communities over the weekend.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said that a 3-year-old child was among the deaths being attributed to flash flooding on Sunday.
"If you look at what happened over the last couple of days, you had this nasty weather, and it came together – it just hit particular areas with 4 inches of rain in 40 minutes," Morrisey said Monday afternoon as search and rescue efforts resumed. The state's National Guard has also been activated.
Cars pulled from water after deadly flash flooding strikes Wheeling, WV.
Cars were removed from Wheeling Creek in West Virginia on Monday, June 16, 2025. That's after torrential rain prompted a flash flood emergency over the weekend.
Watch this: 'Tornado of the year' whirls next to rainbow in Nebraska
A large twister was spotted spinning next to a rainbow in Dickens, Nebraska, on Monday, amid a Tornado Warning for the area.
Video by Connor McCarty shows the towering vortex, with the rainbow adding to the shot.
"Tornado of the year earlier this evening near Dickens, Nebraska … This is a lifetime type tornado for us!" McCarty wrote on X.
Watch: Giant tornado whirls next to rainbow in Nebraska
A large tornado was spotted spinning next to a rainbow in Dickens, Nebraska, on Monday.
Before you go
Here are a few more stories you might find interesting.
- Maui firefighters gain control of wind-driven brush fire as evacuees wait to return home
- Man falls 30 feet off cliff trying to get a better look at Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii
- Near-drowning incident at Florida beach leaves child, 2 adults hospitalized
Need more weather? Check your local forecast plus 3D radar in the FOX Weather app. You can also watch FOX Weather wherever you go using the FOX Weather app, at foxweather.com/live or on your favorite streaming service.
It’s easy to share your weather photos and videos with us. Email them to weather@fox.com or add the hashtag #FOXWeather to your post on your favorite social media platform.