Tornado Risk Rises In Oklahoma As Storms Approach This Evening

The tornado and severe weather threat chances have increased for southwest Oklahoma Tuesday afternoon into early Wednesday morning. Southwest Oklahoma is now at an Enhanced Risk for tornadoes and severe weather.

Early Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service in Norman increased the severe weather risk for southwest Oklahoma to an Enhanced Risk. By noon, the tornado risk was upgraded from very low to low.

All modes of severe weather are possible in Oklahoma Tuesday evening and into early Wednesday morning.

Oklahoma residents, particularly in southwest Oklahoma, should expect to potentially see all modes of severe weather on Tuesday. Hazards include very large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.

Hail could get up to baseball size and wind gusts could be anywhere from 70 to 80 miles per hour.

Strong EF2 tornadoes are possible in Oklahoma on Tuesday.

Although the tornado threat is low, there is still the chance that if tornadoes form, they could be EF2s or stronger.

So far, Oklahoma has seen a dozen tornadoes just for the month of March. From March 5-6, Oklahoma has already seen three EF2 tornadoes and one EF3. One of the EF2 tornadoes in Major County resulted in the death of a mother and a daughter. And the EF3 tornado in Beggs resulted in the death of a mother and father.

READ MORE: How To Get Your Storm Cellar Prepared For Tornado Season

Storms could develop as early as 3 p.m. Tuesday for southwest Oklahoma.

Southwest Oklahoma has the potential to see storms as early as 3 p.m. Tuesday. But storms are most likely to develop in southwest Oklahoma between 5-9 p.m. Storms are expected to move northeast at 30 to 50 miles per hour.