Storm threat shifts after day of hail, wind in central US

Storm clouds appear over a home near Meers, Oklahoma on April 26. (Inset): Susan Goodwyn holds hail in her hand Tuesday, April 26, in Wichita, Kansas. (AP) The nation’s midsection prepared for another day of foul weather Wednesday after a series of storms brought huge hail and high winds, but not as many tornadoes as had been feared.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center said 60 million people from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest east to North Carolina and Virginia should be alert for strong storms. The nastiest weather was forecast from Houston north into Iowa.

“This type of environment will support supercells capable of all hazards, although large hail appears to be the primary severe threat,” forecasters said Tuesday, looking ahead to Wednesday’s weather.

Hail as big as grapefruit fell in northern Kansas on Tuesday, while winds approaching hurricane force — 74 mph — raked communities from Nebraska and Missouri to Texas. Uprooted trees, downed power lines and roof damage were reported in parts of Texas and Oklahoma.

No deaths were reported. In northern Texas, four people were hospitalized after their vehicles were caught up in a tornado that hit late Tuesday, Howe Police Chief Carl Hudman said.

Forecasters said last week that the nation could have seen significant tornadoes Tuesday, but that conditions weren’t right for the biggest storms.

Still, the hail and high winds were frightening enough. (AP)