Severe Thunderstorms, Tornadoes Take Aim at the Plains States Again Friday (FORECAST)

Severe thunderstorms will fire up once again in the Plains states Friday with a threat of more damaging tornadoes, very large hail, strong winds and flash flooding. This next round of storms will follow what has been several days of severe weather in the central states since this past weekend.

(MORE: Large Kansas Tornado Wednesday | Dodge City's "Near-Miss" | Twin Tornadoes: Not As Rare As You Think)

Early Thursday afternoon, damage was reported from a possible tornado near Bryan, Texas. Another tornado was reported in Wamego, Kansas, later Thursday afternoon, and property damage was the result of downed trees.

A thunderstorm approaching Kansas City, Missouri, had a confirmed tornado associated with it on Thursday. Multiple reports stated that the Kansas City International Airport had to be evacuated due to the incoming severe weather. Travelers were instructed to move into the garage.

On Thursday afternoon in Meriden, Kansas, hail grew to as large as 2.75 inches in diamater and broke the windows of vehicles and homes, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Thursday evening featured dozens of water rescues across southeast Texas as heavy rain created flash flooding on roadways and caused many creeks to overflow their banks. Flash flooding also created problems in Kansas and Missouri, including Kansas City.

For more on Thursday's storm reports, see our full article at this link. 

This extended siege of severe weather is being triggered by ripples of energy ejecting eastward from a southward dip in the jet stream across the West.

On Friday, a stronger upper-level trough will swing through the Plains states, intercepting a warm, muggy air mass. Thus, the threat continues for more severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes.

Storm Reports Since Saturday

Wednesday: 

Wednesday evening, a long-lived supercell thunderstorms spawned multiple tornadoes in northern Kansas, with damage reported to at least 20 homes.

The tornado narrowly missed the town of Chapman, and passed north of the city of Abilene. Preliminary survey results show that the tornado produced at least EF3 damage.

For more on Wednesday's storm reports, click here to read our impacts article.

Tuesday: 

Supercell thunderstorms spawned a swarm of tornadoes over western Kansas and in parts of four other states Tuesday.

(MORE: Latest Damage Reports Recap)

Over two dozen reports of tornadoes were received by the National Weather Service (NWS) Tuesday.

Dodge City, Kansas, had a very close call from a slow-moving supercell that spawned tornadoes southwest, west, and north of the city. Storm surveys have begun, and preliminary evidence supports an EF3 rating for tornado damage south-southwest of Dodge City according to the NWS. At times, there were two tornadoes in progress at once from that cyclical supercell.

(MORE: Dodge City, Kansas, Missed Tornado Disaster By Just Three Miles)

There were reports of a house being damaged east of Ensign, Kansas. Fortunately, the occupants of the home were said to be fine. After the tornado had passed, damage was reported on the west side of Dodge City, as well as a propane leak on the highway which blocked traffic.

There were even a pair of confimed tornadoes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Tuesday, southwest of Marquette, Michigan. These were the first May tornadoes in Marquette County since at least 1973.

It wasn't just tornadoes Tuesday. Over six inches of rain triggered severe flash flooding in northeast Arkansas, including the city of Jonesboro. 

For more on Tuesday's storm reports, click here to read our impacts article.

Monday:

On Monday evening, tornadoes were reported in Oklahoma and Texas. A tornado was spotted on the ground just north of Woodward, Oklahoma. No damage was reported in the area. Another tornado was later reported near Northfield, Texas.

There were a few baseball-size hail reports near Sanderson, Texas, Monday evening. In Silverton, Texas, there was a minor accumulation of 0.75-inch to 1-inch hailstones. Hail the size of golf balls fell west of McLean, Texas.

Additionally on Monday evening, quarter-size hail covered a portion of I-40 near Lake McClellan, Texas, and 60 mph wind gusts from the same severe thunderstorm overturned a semi-truck along I-40 in the same area. Injures were reported with the overturned semi-truck.

Sunday:

There were multiple reports of tornadoes Sunday evening across Texas, Kansas and South Dakota.

A tornado touched down near Howardwick, Texas, and another tornado was spotted south of Interstate 20 near Big Springs, Texas. A large tornado near Waka, Texas, knocked down a quarter-mile row of power lines. In Kansas, a half-mile wide wedge tornado was reported near Lydia. No major damage has been reported in all of the areas mentioned above.

Hail the size of tennis balls (2.50 inches) led to broken car windows near Post, Texas, Sunday evening, and hail as large as teacups (3 inches) was spotted near Elbow, Texas. Farther north in Nebraska, hail coated the ground near Mullen, where severe thunderstorms left residents without power.

Saturday:

Severe weather began late Saturday, but it was confined to parts of eastern Montana, western Kansas and western Texas. There was at least one tornado in Wichita County, Kansas, Saturday evening but no damage was reported.

Setup For Severe Weather

Severe weather is common in the spring when a southward dip in the jet stream (upper trough) pushes eastward from the Rockies to the Plains states. 

That weather pattern is on display through Friday.

A trough of low pressure aloft across the western U.S. will continue to move very slowly eastward on Friday. As disturbances swing around the base of the trough and eject eastward from the Rocky Mountains to the Plains, a surge of deep moisture will ride northward from the warm Gulf of Mexico.

Meanwhile, winds aloft (low level jet) coming out of the south will be increasing in intensity. This combination is an ideal recipe for severe thunderstorms to develop.  

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MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Plains Severe Weather - May 9, 2016 (Photo Gallery)