“Get away from windows and shelter inside now!” said a post from the National Weather Service Kansas City Wednesday.
That was at around 8:22 p.m. CT Wednesday evening, when 3.5-inch hail had already been reported in Shawnee, Kan. Per the service “softball sized hail” was coming down due to the dangerous storm.
Throughout that evening, the NWS warned about thunderstorms and various sizes of hail, including “tennis ball” sized hail and baseball-sized hail. Hail is “a form of precipitation consisting of solid ice that forms inside thunderstorm updrafts,” and it can be deadly, according to the NWS.
At around 8:41 p.m. CT Wednesday, the service told people in the Kansas City area to get to shelters.
Over the following days, severe weather marched across the Midwest. It scattered the region with hail as big as baseballs. Then, on Thursday night, a Western Ohio tornado claimed three lives according to Logan County Sheriff’s Office information cited by CBS News.
“Logan County spokesperson Sheri Timmers told CBS News there were multiple injuries, adding that an RV park was among the areas impacted,” said the outlet. “Multiple buildings in the Indian Lake area were damaged,” she added.
CBS reported that the deadly tornado was part of a storm system that included twisters in Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas. At least one EF 2 tornado touched down in Kansas. These storms left tens of thousands of homes and businesses without power.
A tornado effect was still in effect in Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri through 9 p.m. CT Thursday.
“Storms in northern Missouri have been on a downward trend but may still produce gusty winds. More storms moving into our area from southwest Kansas,” the Kansas City NWS said Thursday afternoon. “Hail and damaging winds may be possible heading into the overnight hours.”
At the same time, golf-ball sized hail was predicted in parts of Missouri. A photo shared by the National Weather Service St. Louis showed one of the huge chunks of ice that fell from the sky.
In a Friday Facebook post, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office shared information about volunteering for relief efforts with the American Red Cross.