Strong tornado threat brewing across Midwest — millions could see ‘monster hail’


A severe weather outbreak is likely across parts of the Plains and Midwest beginning Friday afternoon, where millions could see “monster hail” and tornadoes develop.

A broader severe weather threat is targeting more than 63 million people, spanning more than 1,500 miles from Texas to Michigan.

This comes on the heels of deadly severe storms that rumbled through the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma Thursday. 

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said Friday that a mother and daughter were killed in Major County during Thursday night’s storms. The emergency management department in Fairview, Oklahoma, shared video on social media of a large possible tornado just west of the city late Thursday. 

FOX Weather Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari tracked a spotter-confirmed tornado Thursday night outside of Quail, Texas.

On Friday, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center issued a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms across parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa.


Strong tornado threat brewing across Midwest — millions could see ‘monster hail’
A broader severe weather threat is targeting more than 63 million people, spanning more than 1,500 miles from Texas to Michigan. Anadolu via Getty Images

Two primary areas of storms are expected to develop Friday.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, the first round of storms is expected to develop during the mid-to-late afternoon as an area of low pressure close to the surface moves across Kansas and the Missouri Valley.

The atmosphere will be able to support supercell thunderstorms capable of generating hail larger than 3 inches in diameter, and tornadoes. 


View of a mesocyclone and green glow from large hail as a tornadic supercell approaches Hennessey, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said Friday that a mother and daughter were killed in Major County during Thursday night’s storms. Anadolu via Getty Images

Strong tornadoes are possible from Kansas City to Wichita to Oklahoma City during the early evening hours Friday.

Overnight, as a cold front pushes farther east-southeast, damaging wind gusts, hail and tornadoes will be possible from Illinois southward through Oklahoma and northeastern Texas.


NYC students, teachers trudge through snow as Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s back-to-school order met with icy response


New York City’s biggest snowstorm in years is still wreaking havoc on parents, students, and school staff after Mayor Zohran Mamdani ordered students to return to the classroom a day after a storm dumped 2 feet of powder on the city.

“Today should have been another snow day or a remote learning day,” David Carr (R-Staten Island) told The Post.


NYC students, teachers trudge through snow as Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s back-to-school order met with icy response
Students and other New Yorkers climb though a 2-foot snow pile to board the B67 bus on McDonald avenue and Albemarle road in Kensington, Brooklyn, on Tuesday morning. Paul Martinka for New York Post

A man shoveling snow from the sidewalk in New York City after a blizzard.
“Parking is practically nonexistent for faculty and staff because the plowing inevitably covers curbside spots on our roads,” David Carr (R-Staten Island) told The Post. Getty Images

“Everyone is having a hard time, but there are many teachers who can’t make it in today as well as students. Parking is practically nonexistent for faculty and staff because the plowing inevitably covers curbside spots on our roads.”

At Tottenville High School, 180 students were absent, Councilman Frank Morano (R-Staten Island) wrote. The school is also struggling with staffing with half of the kitchen staff absent. Nearly 28 inches of snow fell on the borough, forcing students to walk in the street.

Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens) said her district was plagued with similar issues: “My office has been inundated all morning with calls and messages from teachers who can’t find parking and staff who couldn’t enter their buildings due to snow buildup.”

“They really should have had a remote day, to give the city time to get things cleared out near our schools. That didn’t happen, and now we have this mess today, confirming all of the things we all knew were going to take place.”

Mamdani gave NYC’s students a traditional snow day on Monday, but it was back to school in-person on Tuesday.