Millions across 1,000 miles in path of strong tornado, 'monster' hail threat with storms expected into weekend
The next storm system could deliver strong tornadoes and "monster" hail to more than 50 million people in the Midwest and the Plains beginning Friday afternoon.
Next storm targets millions across Central US with strong tornadoes, 'monster' hail Friday
After several rounds of severe weather earlier this week, the atmosphere is reloading over millions of people across the Central U.S. from Texas to Wisconsin. The next storm system could deliver strong tornadoes and monster hail to more than 50 million people in the Midwest and the Plains beginning Friday afternoon.
After several rounds of severe weather earlier this week, the atmosphere is reloading over millions of people across the Central U.S. from Texas to Wisconsin. The next storm system could deliver strong tornadoes and "monster" hail to more than 50 million people in the Midwest and the Plains beginning Friday afternoon.
Friday severe weather setup. (FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
Severe weather has hammered the U.S. this week, triggering destructive flooding in Wisconsin, Texas, and Kansas, alongside several damaging tornadoes across the Midwest.
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A dip in the jet stream — which acts as an atmospheric conveyor belt for storms — is ushering in an area of low pressure out of the Northwest that will ignite into severe thunderstorms beginning Friday afternoon. These storms will fire up over the middle of the country along the boundary between dry air in the west and moist air from the Gulf that's heating up the eastern U.S.
NOAA'S Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms across a 700-mile corridor just north of Oklahoma City, through Kansas City, Missouri and into La Crosse, Wisconsin.
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The FOX Forecast Center warned that supercell thunderstorms could form over this area Friday afternoon and will be capable of producing strong tornadoes (EF-2+) and very large hail (3 inches+ in diameter).
Friday severe weather threat. (FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
By the evening and into the overnight hours, the threat of damaging winds may increase as the storms may evolve into more of a squall line as they near the Mississippi River.
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Through Saturday, the entire system will shift east into the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes regions.
With the associated cold front pushing east, it will likely organize into a line of storms primarily producing damaging winds as the main hazard.
UNION CENTER, WISCONSIN - APRIL 15: Debris is scattered across the yard where a home once stood after a tornado on Tuesday near Raese Road on April 15, 2026 in Union Center, Wisconsin. ((Photo by Kayla Wolf/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
The main risk area covers Central Ohio, where a Level 2 severe storm threat is in place, with storms weakening as they reach the East Coast late Saturday.
A broader Level 1 threat covers the rest of Ohio, including Cleveland, as well as northern Kentucky, western West Virginia and western Pennsylvania.
Saturday severe weather threat. (FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
Stay tuned to FOX Weather as we continue to track the development of these storms and provide the latest information to stay safe this week.