2:48 PM ET Just NowBreaking News
Severe storms expand eastward: Tornado Watch issued until 11 p.m. ET for Atlanta and the Deep South
The threat of severe weather from Arthur’s volatile remnants is expanding eastward into the afternoon.
The Storm Prediction Center has issued a widespread Tornado Watch until 11:00 p.m. ET tonight, encompassing metropolitan Atlanta, a massive portion of southern Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle.
As the center of the post-tropical low pressure system edges further inland, its outer feeder bands are tapping into an environment loaded with extreme tropical moisture and strong low-level atmospheric shear.
These conditions are highly favorable for the development of fast-moving, low-topped supercell thunderstorms.
Because these tropical storms pull directly from Gulf moisture, any spin-up tornadoes that develop will likely be heavily rain-wrapped and exceptionally difficult to spot visually until they are right on top of you.
Residents across the watch area—including major corridors along Interstate 85 in Georgia and Interstate 10 in Florida—are strongly urged to review their severe weather safety plans immediately.
Ensure you have multiple ways to receive warnings that can wake you up tonight, keep your mobile devices charged, and be ready to seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building the moment a warning is issued for your area.
2:07 PM ET 41 Min Ago
See It, Share It: Help us document the historic scale of the Southern flood crisis
As a historic and life-threatening flash flood disaster grips the central Gulf Coast and expands across the Southeast, we need your help to safely document the sheer scale of this crisis.
If you are witnessing the ongoing flooding from a secure location, please upload your photos and videos here.
Your real-time visuals are incredibly vital. They help us show everyone the true magnitude of this catastrophic tropical deluge, keep communities informed, and aid forecasters tracking these rapidly shifting hazards.
1:51 PM ET 57 Min Ago
Analysis: Satellite reveals the engine behind Avoyelles Parish’s 2-foot historic deluge
Visible satellite imagery today is painting a stunning, albeit terrifying, picture that perfectly explains why torrential tropical thunderstorms have stubbornly refused to move over central Louisiana, leading to a truly historic disaster.
The high-resolution images reveal the exact atmospheric engine driving the catastrophic flooding in Avoyelles Parish and neighboring communities.
As the center of what is now post-tropical “ex-Arthur” ground slowly to the northeast, it set up a textbook zone of surface convergence directly over central Louisiana.
This convergence zone created a violent, invisible boundary where two completely opposing wind patterns collided from the North with cooler northwest winds on the backside of the low, and from the South with a ferocious, 45-to-60 mph low-level wind jet blowing directly ahead of the storm center.
Because those strong southerly winds were drawing straight from the ultra-warm waters of the Gulf of America, they acted as a non-stop, high-velocity atmospheric firehose, relentlessly pumping record-level tropical moisture right into the collision zone.
When that infinite moisture supply slammed into the opposing northwesterly winds, the air had nowhere to go but straight up.
Because this boundary has remained locked in place, it forced thunderstorms to continuously form, collapse, and reform over the exact same patches of land—a dangerous meteorological phenomenon known as backbuilding and training.
The math behind this setup is as simple as it is devastating: an unrelenting moisture feed combined with a stalled atmospheric boundary equals more than 2 feet of rain in less than 24 hours.
1:46 PM ET 1 HR AgoBreaking News
NWS New Orleans confirms a trio of EF-1 tornadoes slammed metro area
As if the historic, ongoing flash flooding wasn’t enough, the National Weather Service in New Orleans has confirmed that at least three separate tornadoes touched down across southeast Louisiana during Arthur’s severe weather blitz.
While meteorologists stress that these findings are preliminary and survey teams are still assessing the damage, the NWS has confirmed the following tracks and intensities:
Tornado #1 (Houma): Rated an EF-1 with peak estimated winds of 95 mph.
Tornado #2 (West Bank of Jefferson Parish): Rated an EF-1 with peak estimated winds of 90 mph.
Tornado #3 (East Bank of Jefferson and Orleans Parishes): Rated an EF-1 with peak estimated winds of 95 mph.
These fast-moving, rain-wrapped tropical vortices spun up quickly within Arthur’s intense outer convective bands. Even at EF-1 strength, winds nearing 100 mph are more than capable of snapping power poles, peeling roofing material off homes, flipping unanchored structures, and tossing heavy debris.
With survey crews still active in the field, it is highly possible that these track lengths may be extended or additional tornado touchdowns will be confirmed in the coming days.
1:34 PM ET 1 HR AgoBreaking News
Historic disaster: Flash Flood Emergency for Avoyelles Parish with up to 24 inches of rain
An absolute worst-case scenario is unfolding in Louisiana as the National Weather Service continues its Flash Flood Emergency for Southern Avoyelles Parish.
An unfathomable 12 to 24 inches of rain has already fallen across the region, completely overwhelming the landscape and triggering active, widespread emergency evacuations.
Meteorologists have classified this as a Particularly Dangerous Situation. Intense tropical training thunderstorms have essentially dropped two feet of water over areas that are completely incapable of draining it, forcing residents from their homes as water reaches catastrophic levels.
1:07 PM ET 1 HR Ago
“The drain on the corner just officially stopped”: Video captures flooding in Picayune
The true severity of the Flash Flood Emergency in Picayune, Mississippi, is hitting home on social media.
Local resident Angelina Rushing posted a distressing video to Facebook from the corner of West Canal Street, describing the exact moment the local storm drain simply stopped working minutes prior, causing water to instantly back up and inundate the area.
12:20 PM ET 2 HRS AgoBreaking News
Pinned
Weather Prediction Center expands rare Level 4 high risk flood threat deeper into Southeast
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The ongoing, life-threatening flash flood disaster across the central Gulf Coast has forced meteorologists at the Weather Prediction Center to expand the rare Level 4 out of 4 “High Risk” zone today.
Short-range computer models and real-time radar data confirm a worst-case scenario is unfolding as repetitive bands of “backbuilding” storms—where intense rain continuously reforms over the exact same locations—have already dropped a staggering 9 to 11 inches of rain across parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.
The environment fueling these storms is historically volatile. The atmospheric engine is drawing directly from record-breaking tropical moisture levels (precipitable water values over 2 inches) and a ferocious 45-to-58 mph low-level wind jet pumping juice straight off the warm Gulf of America.
Because of this, forecasters have modified today’s risk map in two critical directions:
Westward expansion: Pushed deeper into central Louisiana, where a Flash Flood Emergency remains actively underway due to ongoing, catastrophic inundation.
Northeastward expansion: Expanded across southern Mississippi and Alabama, where high-resolution modeling warns that an additional 5 to 8+ inches of rain is highly probable.
The WPC notes this dangerous flood corridor will continue to expand deeper into the Southeast as the afternoon progresses.
Heightened life-safety concerns are now shifting dynamically into southwestern and central Georgia, as well as further north into the highly vulnerable terrain of the southern Appalachians.
If you are anywhere within this expanding bullseye, do not wait for water to enter your home—take action to protect your life immediately.
12:18 PM ET 2 HRS AgoBreaking News
Catastrophic flooding triggers Flash Flood Emergency in Stone County
The National Weather Service has issued a rare Flash Flood Emergency for Stone County, Mississippi until 4:15 p.m. CT this afternoon.
Local emergency management officials report that a catastrophic crisis is unfolding, with significant to major flooding occurring across the entire county, forcing active high-water rescue operations.
A staggering 6 to 10 inches of rain has already fallen, and with Arthur’s relentless tropical bands stalled over the area, an additional 3 to 6 inches of rain is highly likely.
Meteorologists have classified this as a Particularly Dangerous Situation. The ground is completely saturated, meaning any additional rainfall will instantly become dangerous, rushing runoff. People within the warning area are urged to seek higher ground immediately and strictly avoid all travel.
12:08 PM ET 2 HRS AgoBreaking News
I-59 closed in both directions as catastrophic floodwaters submerge Mississippi interstate
The Flash Flood Emergency in Pearl River County has triggered a major transportation crisis, forcing the total closure of Interstate 59 in both directions near Picayune.
Muddy floodwaters fueled by Arthur’s relentless tropical remnants have breached the highway, submerging all travel lanes under feet of water.
Mississippi Department of Transportation crews and state troopers have shut down the corridor, diverting all traffic off the interstate.
Officials warn that the highly unusual closure will remain in effect indefinitely until the training rain bands subside and water levels recede below the asphalt.
12:03 PM ET 2 HRS AgoBreaking News
Water rescues reported as catastrophic flooding paralyzes Avoyelles Parish
The escalating Flash Flood Emergency in Avoyelles Parish has reached a critical, life-threatening stage as torrential tropical rain from Arthur’s stalled remnants completely submerges towns across central Louisiana.
Local emergency services are stretched to their limits trying to manage a rapidly deteriorating crisis. In Mansura, the Louisiana Department of Transportation has officially shut down LA Highway 114, which has become completely impassable due to deep, fast-moving floodwaters swallowing the asphalt.
Conditions are equally dire to the east. Streets throughout Simmesport are entirely underwater, stranding residents and inundating yards as neighborhood drainage systems stand completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of water.
The gravity of the situation was felt this morning in nearby Cottonport, where emergency dispatchers confirmed a high-water rescue operation had to be initiated to save individuals trapped by rapidly encroaching waters.
First responders are reiterating that all residents should remain safely on high ground and strictly avoid any travel, as conditions continue to worsen by the hour.
11:39 AM ET 3 HRS AgoBreaking News
Social media video captures alarming floodwaters submerging Highway 11 in Picayune
A startling video posted to Facebook by local resident Nayy Booth showcases the severe reality of the ongoing Flash Flood Emergency along the Gulf Coast, capturing deep, muddy floodwaters completely swallowing portions of US Highway 11 in Picayune.
The video highlights an increasingly dangerous travel environment as torrential downpours from Arthur’s remnants rapidly transform major thoroughfares into virtual rivers.
11:37 AM ET 3 HRS AgoDeveloping Story
Danger escalates in Picayune as new round of heavy rain targets flood emergency zone
The catastrophic situation in Picayune, Mississippi, is on the verge of deteriorating even further as the FOX Forecast Center tracks a new, heavy band of tropical downpours pushing directly into the city.
Picayune and wider Pearl River County are already paralyzed under a rare Flash Flood Emergency after a grueling 7 inches of rain fell in less than six hours earlier today.
The ground is completely maxed out and incapable of absorbing a single additional drop of water, meaning this incoming round of intense precipitation will instantly convert into dangerous, rushing surface runoff.
Emergency management officials are reiterating their urgent warnings for all residents to stay exactly where they are on high ground, as any attempt to travel through this next wave of water will put lives at severe risk.
11:28 AM ET 3 HRS Ago
On the ground in Biloxi: Brandy Campbell reports live from extreme flood risk zone
FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell is reporting live from Biloxi, Mississippi, where the coastal community is bracing for the brunt of Arthur’s remnants under a maximum Level 4 out of 4 excessive rain risk.
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11:21 AM ET 3 HRS Ago
Traffic camera captures flooding on Highway 11 in Picayune
A live MDOT traffic camera on Mississippi Highway 11 captures a visual of the escalating crisis in Picayune this morning, showing floodwaters submerging portions of the busy thoroughfare.
With the city already paralyzed by nearly 7 inches of rain that fell in less than six hours, officials are monitoring these live cameras to track rapid water rises and are strongly imploring residents to stay home as emergency crews navigate the worsening deluge.
11:17 AM ET 3 HRS Ago
Understanding the ultimate flood danger: Why a flash flood emergency demands immediate action
A Flash Flood Emergency is the highest, most urgent alert issued by the National Weather Service, reserved exclusively for rare situations where catastrophic, life-threatening flooding is actively occurring.
Unlike a standard Flash Flood Warning—which means flooding is possible or developing—an Emergency is only triggered when severe flooding poses an immediate threat to human life or indicates a major structural disaster is underway, such as a dam failure or widespread water rescues.
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When an Emergency is declared, it means infrastructure is failing, roads are completely submerged, and residents must take immediate, extraordinary action to protect their lives, such as moving to the highest floor of a building or seeking immediate high ground.
11:11 AM ET 3 HRS AgoBreaking News
Flash Flood Emergency declared for Pearl River County as life-threatening water inundates Picayune
The National Weather Service has issued a life-threatening Flash Flood Emergency for Pearl River County in southern Mississippi as the moisture-packed core of Arthur’s remnants stalls directly over the region.
Local emergency management officials report that catastrophic flooding is actively occurring, with multiple roads completely submerged, impassable, and hazardous to motorists.
A staggering 3 to 5 inches of tropical rain has already inundated the area this morning, and with the persistent feeder bands showing no signs of budging, forecasters warn that an additional 3 to 6 inches of rain is entirely possible through the afternoon.
Residents are being strongly urged to seek higher ground immediately and stay completely off local roadways, as rapidly rising waters are creating extremely dangerous conditions across the county.
11:04 AM ET 3 HRS AgoBreaking News
Flash Flood Emergency issued for Avoyelles Parish amid life-threatening water rises
The National Weather Service has issued a rare and life-threatening Flash Flood Emergency for Avoyelles Parish as the core of Arthur’s tropical remnants unloads catastrophic rain rates across central Louisiana.
Emergency officials report that relentless training thunderstorms have overwhelmed local drainage systems, causing rapid, severe water rises that are actively inundating roadways and threatening low-lying residential structures.
The FOX Forecast Center says rain is falling at 1-3 inches per hour with radar estimating more than a foot of rain has fallen in the past few hours.
9:44 AM ET 5 HRS Ago
Analysis: Where is Arthur now? Disorganized remnant low stalls over the Gulf Coast mud
The National Hurricane Center has officially written the final chapter on Arthur’s life cycle as a named tropical cyclone.
In its final advisory issued late Wednesday night, the NHC discontinued all coastal Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings after the system’s heavily sheared center erratically relocated over land near Galveston, Texas, and collapsed into a post-tropical remnant low pressure area with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.
While its status as a tropical storm lasted less than 24 hours, the NHC’s parting message was a stark warning to the South: Arthur’s structural demise changes absolutely nothing about the sheer volume of water it is carrying.
Right now, Arthur’s decaying ghost is silently gliding northeastward over Mississippi.
Even though the low-level circulation is rain-free, the storm’s massive wind field is drawing significant amounts of moisture off the Gulf of America.
This setup has effectively parked an atmospheric firehose directly over Mississippi and Alabama, where intense tropical training bands will continue to dump torrential downpours through Friday.
Arthur may no longer be a tropical storm on paper, but its remnants are actively delivering the exact catastrophic, multi-day flood disaster that forecasters feared most.
9:29 AM ET 5 HRS AgoDeveloping Story
Tornado risk escalates across southern Mississippi and Alabama under Arthur’s feeder bands
The threat of dangerous, spin-up tornadoes is escalating across southern Mississippi and Alabama today as the volatile outer feeder bands of Arthur’s remnants drill into the Gulf Coast.
The FOX Forecast Center warns that intense atmospheric shear—the changing of wind speed and direction with height—is overlapping with a deeply unstable, moisture-rich tropical air mass pushing inland.
This combination will make it incredibly easy for rotating, low-topped supercell thunderstorms to spawn quick, fast-moving tornadoes with very little warning through the afternoon and evening hours.
Because these tropical twisters are often wrapped in torrential rain and difficult to see ahead of time, experts are urging residents from Biloxi to Mobile to keep their devices charged, have multiple ways to receive severe weather alerts, and review their emergency shelter plans immediately.
9:26 AM ET 5 HRS Ago
Multiple tornadoes tear through Mississippi as tropical bands trigger warnings
A volatile situation is unfolding across Mississippi right now as the severe outer feeder bands of Arthur’s remnants spawn multiple tornadoes simultaneously.
The National Weather Service has issued multiple Tornado Warnings with at least two confirmed twisters happening in the southern part of the state.
9:20 AM ET 5 HRS Ago
Dramatic video captures intense wind and blinding rain in Louisiana as Arthur roars through
Dramatic video captured early this morning in Montegut, Louisiana, showcases the ferocious power remaining in Arthur’s remnants as they pushed through the coastal bayou communities.
The video reveals blinding tropical downpours driving sideways under violent, howling wind gusts that slammed Terrebonne Parish well before sunrise.
9:15 AM ET 5 HRS Ago
Flash Flood Warning triggered for Hattiesburg with FOX Weather’s Haley Meier live on the ground
A dangerous situation is developing in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, which has just been placed under a Flash Flood Warning as downpours from Arthur’s remnants stall over the Pine Belt.
FOX Weather Meteorologist Haley Meier is reporting live from the ground, tracking downpours that are rapidly blinding drivers and pooling across major thoroughfares.
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9:09 AM ET 5 HRS Ago
FOX Weather Threat Zone shows rare extreme area for Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida Panhandle
The FOX Forecast Center has taken the rare step of upgrading the FOX Weather Threat Zone to an “extreme” designation right along the Gulf Coast today.
This maximum threat area places coastal Mississippi, southern Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle directly in the crosshairs for catastrophic flash flooding as Arthur’s tropical remnants stall.
9:05 AM ET 5 HRS Ago
Heavy rain bullseye tracks into Mississippi after swamping southern Louisiana
A relentless onslaught of tropical moisture from Arthur’s remnants has inundated southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi with staggering rain totals this morning.
The FOX Forecast Center reports that radar estimates show more than 8 inches of rain has already fallen in isolated spots south and west of New Orleans, forcing widespread flash flooding.
The core of the heaviest rain is now actively shifting eastward into southern Mississippi, where saturated ground will quickly trigger rapid water rises along roads and creeks through the afternoon.
8:29 AM ET 6 HRS Ago
Damage reported in Lakeshore Village as suspected tornado downs trees and power lines
A suspected tornado spun up by the outer bands of Arthur’s remnants has left a visible trail of destruction in the Lakeshore Village subdivision of Slidell, Louisiana.
Pictures on social media show snapped large trees, shredded backyard fences, and downed active utility lines across local streets.
Emergency crews are working to secure the area and clear the debris, while officials continue to urge locals to stay indoors and treat all downed wires as live.
8:25 AM ET 6 HRS Ago
Over 50,000 customers in the dark as Arthur’s remnants slam Texas and Louisiana
The brutal combination of torrential rain, tornadoes, and strong winds from Arthur’s remnants has knocked out power to tens of thousands of residents across the Gulf Coast this morning.
According to data from PowerOutage.com, nearly 40,000 customers are currently sitting in the dark across Louisiana, while more than 14,000 utility customers are experiencing outages in neighboring Texas.
Emergency crews are working to restore electricity as quickly as possible, though ongoing severe weather and flooded roadways are presenting significant challenges for line workers.
8:21 AM ET 6 HRS Ago
When high risk means ultimate danger: The chilling stats behind a Level 4 flood threat
When the Weather Prediction Center (NOAA) highlights a region in a Level 4 “High Risk” for excessive rain, it is a designation that should make everyone in its path stop what they are doing.
These alerts are not issued lightly; in fact, the Weather Prediction Center only triggers a Level 4 risk on roughly 4% of days out of the entire year nationwide.
It is the highest and most urgent tier on the flash flood threat scale, reserved exclusively for atmospheric setups that are primed to deliver historic, catastrophic rain rates capable of overwhelming modern infrastructure and completely shifting the terrain within hours.
The statistics behind these rare declarations are staggering. Data compiled by NOAA over an 11-year period reveals that while High Risk days happen just 4% of the time, they account for an astonishing 36% of all flood-related fatalities and 80% of all flood-related property damages in the United States.
A Level 4 alert essentially means meteorologists are no longer just forecasting generic roadway ponding—they are predicting major structural inundation, widespread water rescues, and life-threatening conditions.
8:14 AM ET 6 HRS Ago
‘Particularly Dangerous Situation:’ Large tornado moving through Slidell area this morning
The National Weather Service has issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Tornado Warning for St. Tammany Parish as a “large and extremely dangerous” tornado moves directly through the Slidell area.
A radar-confirmed tornado was tracked on radar pushing northeast at 25 mph, forcing immediate life-safety shelter orders for Pearlington and the Stennis Space Center.
8:09 AM ET 6 HRS AgoDeveloping Story
Analysis: Second act? Arthur’s remnants could attempt tropical redevelopment over the Atlantic
As if a high-level flood threat across the Deep South wasn’t enough, the weather system that refuses to quit could have a second act waiting in the wings.
The FOX Forecast Center is actively tracking the remnants of Arthur as the parent trough of low pressure crawls across the Southeast.
According to the National Hurricane Center, environmental conditions appear marginally conducive for some subtropical or tropical redevelopment on Friday or Saturday.
The entire system is projected to accelerate northeastward over the next 48 hours, eventually emerging off the East Coast of the United States and spilling out into the warm waters of the Western Atlantic Ocean.
While the possibility of Arthur’s atmospheric ghost reforming at sea is drawing the attention of meteorologists, forecasters emphasize that it changes nothing about the immediate, high-stakes threat on land.
Regardless of whether the system regains a tropical name or structure over the ocean this weekend, its current footprint remains incredibly dangerous.
The immediate focus stays locked on the massive shield of tropical moisture currently swamping the Southeast, where torrential downpours retain the full potential to unleash widespread, life-threatening flash flooding through the next day or two.
8:04 AM ET 6 HRS Ago
On the ground in Hattiesburg: Haley Meier warns of rapidly increasing flash flood risk
FOX Weather Meteorologist Haley Meier is reporting live from the ground in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, this morning, where a high-risk flood threat is rapidly unfolding.
You can watch Haley Meier reporting on the severe weather threat all day on FOX Weather to see how the situation unfolds.
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8:01 AM ET 6 HRS Ago
Spin-up tornadoes possible as tropical outer bands lash Gulf Coast and Southeast
While devastating flash flooding remains the primary hazard from Arthur’s remnants, the storm system is packing an extra punch with a persistent tornado threat across the Deep South today.
The Storm Prediction Center has outlined a severe weather risk area spanning southeastern Louisiana, southern and central Mississippi, Alabama, and parts of the Florida Panhandle.
As a weak surface low and atmospheric wave pull deep tropical moisture into the region, the wind field is ramping up significantly.
This high amount of low-level wind shear colliding with very sticky, mid-70s dewpoints will create an environment where rotating supercell thunderstorms can easily spin up tornadoes with little warning.
The risk is expected to peak through this afternoon and into early tonight as peak daytime heating maximizes atmospheric instability, making it critical for residents to keep their phones charged and weather alerts turned on.
7:50 AM ET 6 HRS Ago
Emergency crews assess damage after possible tornado strikes New Orleans metro
Emergency officials are on the ground assessing damage this morning after a suspected tornado spun up in the outer bands of Arthur’s remnants, tearing through parts of the New Orleans metro area.
The FOX Forecast Center reports that the fast-moving storm showed significant rotation as it pushed past New Orleans International Airport and neighboring communities just before dawn, triggering urgent Tornado Warnings across Jefferson and St. Charles parishes.
While the immediate threat has shifted eastward, crews are currently navigating heavily flooded streets to clear downed trees, check on ruptured power lines, and survey structural damage in the hardest-hit neighborhoods.
7:44 AM ET 7 HRS Ago
Flash Flood Warning issued for New Orleans metro as Arthur’s remnants swamp the city
A Flash Flood Warning has been issued for the New Orleans metro area as a brutal, slow-moving band of tropical thunderstorms slams southeastern Louisiana this morning.
The FOX Forecast Center notes that radar estimates show more than 5 inches of rain has already inundated areas just west of downtown, with rain rates pounding the pavement at an astonishing 2 to 4 inches per hour.
With the city’s drainage infrastructure being pushed to its absolute absolute limits by Arthur’s moisture, residents are strongly urged to stay off the roads, avoid low-lying underpasses, and monitor localized rising water immediately.
7:39 AM ET 7 HRS AgoDeveloping Story
Remnants of Arthur trigger extreme flood threat across the South with a foot of rain possible
Right now, the Deep South is bracing for a highly dangerous, multi-day weather event as the relentless remnants of Arthur tap into a powerhouse combination of Pacific and Gulf moisture.
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The FOX Forecast Center says a rare Level 4 out of 4 high risk for flash flooding has been issued for Thursday, followed by a Level 3 risk on Friday, signaling that widespread and locally catastrophic flooding is likely.
The atmospheric plume is loading up a corridor from eastern Texas all the way to Georgia, putting millions of people directly in the crosshairs.
Flood Watches blanket major metro areas including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Jackson, Montgomery, and Atlanta, where the ground is fast approaching a breaking point.
While a broad swath of the South can expect a general 5 to 8 inches of rain, the bullseye sitting over Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama is tracking a much more severe threat. A broad corridor through these states is likely to see 8 to 12 inches of rain, with localized totals easily carving past a foot where the heaviest tropical rainbands stall.

11:11 PM ET 24 Min Ago
Midwest severe weather outbreak leaves trail of tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail
Wednesday’s severe weather outbreak left a trail of tornado, wind and hail reports across the Midwest, with FOX Weather’s storm reports map showing the highest concentration of damage reports from Iowa through Illinois and into Indiana.
Numerous communities reported structural damage, downed trees and power lines, and powerful wind gusts as a line of severe thunderstorms swept eastward across the Midwest. A corridor stretching from Iowa through Illinois and into Indiana appeared to bear the brunt of the outbreak, with widespread reports of wind damage, large hail and tornadoes.
Several tornadoes were confirmed throughout the day, while additional reports of large hail and wind damage poured in as discrete supercells developed ahead of the main line of storms.
The outbreak produced impacts across multiple states, leaving behind a wide swath of damage that emergency crews and National Weather Service survey teams will continue assessing in the days ahead.
The threat isn’t finished yet, and communities impacted are just beginning to pick up the pieces. FOX Weather will continue tracking storm surveys, damage reports and forecast updates as more information becomes available.
10:53 PM ET 42 Min Ago
Tornado lofts debris 20 miles from Indiana tornado track, Debris Tracker shows
A confirmed dangerous tornado ripped through Clark County, Indiana, on Wednesday night, but the damage may not have been confined to the tornado’s path alone.
FOX Weather’s exclusive Debris Tracker indicated the tornado was so intense that it lofted debris thousands of feet into the atmosphere, where powerful winds carried it far from the circulation.
Radar imagery showed a debris signature extending roughly 20 miles northeast of the tornado’s track, suggesting pieces of homes, trees and other materials were likely falling back to the ground well away from the hardest-hit areas.
Meteorologists use debris signatures on radar to identify tornadoes that are actively lofting material into the air.
The larger and more persistent the debris field, the stronger the indication that significant damage is occurring on the ground.In this case, FOX Weather’s Debris Tracker showed debris being carried as far as 21 miles from the tornado, underscoring the violent nature of the storm and raising the possibility that debris was falling from the sky in communities that may not have experienced the tornado itself.
10:38 PM ET 57 Min Ago
WATCH: Tornado tears through Teutopolis, Illinois, leaving trail of destruction
A damaging tornado left a trail of destruction in Teutopolis, Illinois, where FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic rushed into a heavily damaged home moments after the twister swept through the area.
10:04 PM ET 1 HR Ago
‘Take Cover Now’: Dangerous tornado moving through Central Indiana
A confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado is moving across portions of central and south-central Indiana Tuesday night, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Tornado Warning with a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” (PDS) designation.
As of 9:57 p.m. EDT, the tornado was located about 8 miles southwest of Martinsville, or roughly 10 miles north of Bloomington, and was moving east at 45 mph.
Forecasters warn this is a life-threatening situation and residents in the storm’s path should take shelter immediately.
“Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter,” the warning stated. “Mobile homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, businesses and vehicles is likely and complete destruction is possible.”
The Tornado Warning remains in effect until 10:45 p.m. EDT for portions of Monroe, Morgan, Brown, Johnson and Bartholomew counties.
Communities in the that could be impacted by the tornado include Columbus, Nashville, Edinburgh, Princes Lakes, Morgantown, Peoga, Mahalasville, Helmsburg, Lake Lemon, Bean blossom, Gnaw Bone, Yellowwood Lake, Spearsville and Unionville.
The warning also includes a stretch of Interstate 65 near mile marker 75.
Residents across the warned area should shelter immediately.
FOX Weather will continue to monitor this dangerous situation and provide updates as new information becomes available.
9:57 PM ET 1 HR Ago
WATCH: FOX Weather Storm Tracker captures destructive tornado up close
FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic gets close and personal with a dangerous tornado in Illinois amid a severe weather outbreak.
9:39 PM ET 1 HR Ago
Top Hail Reports: Baseball-size hail pummels Illinois
Amid an ongoing severe weather outbreak sweeping across the Midwest, multiple communities reporting hail the size of baseballs and larger.
Today’s largest hailstone measured an incredible 3.0 inches in diameter in Arthur, Illinois. Other notable reports included 2.75-inch hail in Humboldt, Illinois, 2.5-inch hail in Lovington, Illinois, and 2.0-inch hail in Niantic, Illinois.
The barrage of large hail wasn’t limited to Illinois. Holden, Missouri, reported hail measuring 1.75 inches in diameter, matching a report from Boody, Illinois.
Hail of this size is capable of causing significant damage to vehicles, roofs, windows and crops, and it can pose a serious risk to anyone caught outdoors.
The hail reports come as a powerful storm system unleashes dangerous weather across the Midwest, producing destructive winds, numerous tornado warnings and confirmed tornadoes across portions of Illinois and neighboring states.
Thousands of customers have also lost power as repeated rounds of severe thunderstorms continue to sweep across the region.
Stay with FOX Weather for the latest updates on this unfolding severe weather outbreak.
9:19 PM ET 2 HRS Ago
WATCH: Tornado forms live on FOX Weather
FOX Weather Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari analyzes a confirmed tornado in progress in Effingham, Illinois live on FOX Weather.
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9:17 PM ET 2 HRS Ago
Confirmed Tornado moving through Effingham, Illinois
A confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was moving through Effingham County, Illinois, on Tuesday evening, prompting forecasters to issue a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Tornado Warning.
At 8:14 p.m. CDT, weather spotters confirmed a large tornado over Teutopolis, near Effingham, moving east at 50 mph. The National Weather Service warned that people in the storm’s path faced a life-threatening situation and urged residents to take cover immediately.
The tornado was expected to move near Montrose around 8:20 p.m. CDT and Hidalgo around 8:35 p.m. CDT. Communities including Sigel, Trowbridge, Rose Hill and Woodbury were also in the path of the dangerous storm.
Forecasters warned that mobile homes could be destroyed and that considerable damage to homes, businesses and vehicles was likely. Complete destruction was also possible in areas directly impacted by the tornado.
Motorists traveling on Interstate 57 between mile markers 158 and 176 and Interstate 70 between mile markers 92 and 119 were urged to seek shelter and avoid attempting to outrun the storm.Stay with FOX Weather for continuing coverage of this dangerous severe weather outbreak across the Midwest.
9:00 PM ET 2 HRS Ago
Charleston Police urge drivers to stay off roads after severe storm damage
The Charleston Police Department is urging residents to stay off the roads after severe storms left a large number of trees down across the east-central Illinois community.
In a Facebook post, the department warned motorists not to drive unless absolutely necessary, saying, “There is too much traffic congestion due to road conditions.”
The warning comes as reports of storm damage continue to emerge from across Charleston and Coles County.
Early reports indicate damage to mobile homes and structural damage at the Coles County Fairgrounds after multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms ripped through the area.
Stick with FOX Weather as we continue to track this severe weather outbreak and bring you the latest updates throughout the evening.
8:38 PM ET 2 HRS Ago
Severe storms damage county fairgrounds, down trees and destroy mobile homes in Charleston, Illinois
Reports of severe storm damage are pouring in from Charleston, Illinois, in Coles County, as powerful thunderstorms continue to move through the region — and the threat is far from over.
Another round of storms is now approaching Charleston and is expected to bring hail, damaging wind gusts, and additional impacts to areas already hit hard by earlier severe weather.
Mobile homes have been destroyed and flipped and there are early reports indicate structural damage at the Coles County Fairgrounds. Significant tree damage and downed power lines have also been reported, creating hazardous conditions across the area.
Meanwhile, power outages are mounting rapidly. According to PowerOutage.com, customer outages across Illinois are soaring as multiple rounds of severe storms continue to sweep across the Midwest.
8:08 PM ET 3 HRS AgoBreaking News
Damage reported in Charleston, Illinois following tornado-warned storm
Emergency crews are actively responding to reports of damage and downed utility lines in and around Charleston, Illinois, following a direct hit from a highly volatile, fast-moving severe thunderstorm.
The storm, which was warned for a tornado, blasted through Coles County with intense straight-line wind gusts and a suspected tornado touchdown.
First responders are currently navigating blocked roadways littered with snapped tree limbs and debris to check on residents, while local utility teams assess the scope of the infrastructure damage.
8:05 PM ET 3 HRS AgoBreaking News
Close call: FOX Weather tracker Brandon Copic slammed by violent winds, blinding rain in Illinois
The raw power of this evening’s severe weather was caught live on camera as FOX Weather’s exclusive storm tracker Brandon Copic was just slammed by a dangerous, tornado-warned storm core in Charleston, Illinois.
Positioned right in the path of the fast-moving central Illinois cells, Copic’s tracking vehicle was suddenly engulfed by a blinding wall of torrential rain and violent straight-line wind gusts pushing well over 60 mph.
The intense, deafening assault heavily tested his gear and sharply reduced visibility to near-zero within seconds, providing a dramatic, firsthand look at exactly why weather officials have been urging residents along the Interstate 70 corridor to get off the roads.
7:57 PM ET 3 HRS Ago
Pinned
Analysis: Why the highly anticipated June severe weather setup hasn’t produced a frenzy of tornadoes
For all the high-end atmospheric data and rare Level 4 “Moderate Risk” billing from the Storm Prediction Center, this afternoon’s anticipated tornado outbreak has felt decidedly like a “bust” to many weather observers so far.
Aside from a few touchdowns and short-lived warnings in western Wisconsin and central Illinois, the sky has failed to unleash the widespread, photogenic supercell frenzy that many early morning models hinted at.
The primary culprit for this underwhelming showing is a phenomenon meteorologists call convective contamination. The massive, sprawling morning complex of rain and storms over northern Illinois did its job too well, churning out thick, stubborn cloud debris and rain-cooled air masses that successfully worked over the atmosphere, effectively keeping a tight lid on the deep, explosive daytime heating needed to violently destabilize the lower levels of the atmosphere.
FOX Weather meteorologist Ari Sarsalari explains the main line of storms that fired up during the late afternoon also likely robbed the atmosphere of the energy needed to spin up intense tornadoes.
Once the main line of thunderstorms formed, the upper level winds blew the large anvil clouds directly into the threat area, where the storms were moving toward. That took some energy out of the atmosphere over parts of Illinois and Indiana, so the storms may not have reached their full potential.
– FOX Weather meteorologist Ari Sarsalari
However, the danger is not over, as the atmosphere is simply shifting its energy elsewhere.
While the discrete, long-tracked tornado threat has been severely choked out by the morning’s leftover cloud muck, the overall storm system is still packing a punch.
The focus is transitioning aggressively into an upscale wind and flash flood event, where intense squall lines and bowing segments are leveraging the high-velocity jet stream to warp into massive straight-line wind threats.
FOX Weather meteorologists also caution that the tornado threat isn’t zero, as storms may tap into localized pockets of energy and spin in the atmosphere to produce a strong tornado this evening.
And, the stalled warm front pinned down by that morning rain is now acting as a tracks-of-fire corridor for storms to repeatedly stall and dump immense amounts of water across central Illinois and Indiana.
So while the tornado sirens might not be blaring continuously, the severe weather event is far from over—it has just traded the threat of rotating funnels for a night of widespread, damaging wind gusts and sweeping flash floods.
7:56 PM ET 3 HRS Ago
‘Large and extremely dangerous’ tornado near Charleston, Illinois, prompts PDS warning
A confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado prompted a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) tornado warning in east-central Illinois on Wednesday evening for parts of Coles and Cumberland County.
According to the National Weather Service, weather spotters confirmed the tornado near Charleston at 6:49 p.m. CDT.
The tornado was moving east at 45 mph and was described as “large and extremely dangerous.”
The tornado was expected to move near Charleston around 6:55 p.m. CDT.Communities and locations in the storm’s path include Loxa, Coles County Airport and Fox Ridge State Park.
The warning also includes a stretch of Interstate 57 between mile markers 187 and 196.A PDS tornado warning is reserved for the most dangerous tornado situations and signals an increased threat to life and property.
Residents in the warning area should seek shelter immediately.
7:52 PM ET 3 HRS Ago
Tens of thousands without power in Illinois as severe storms barrel across the region
Power outages continue to climb across Illinois as severe thunderstorms sweep through the state, knocking out electricity to nearly 40,000 customers, according to PowerOutage.com.
Some of the hardest-hit areas are in western Illinois, where damaging winds associated with a powerful line of storms have left communities in the dark.
In Henderson County, about 90% of customers are without power after the severe storms tore through the area.
The widespread outages underscore the destructive potential of the storms, which have been capable of producing damaging wind gusts, large hail and tornadoes.
Forecasters warn that severe thunderstorms will continue tracking eastward through the evening and overnight hours across portions of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Additional storms could bring destructive wind gusts exceeding 70 mph, large hail and the potential for tornadoes, including some that could be strong.
The Storm Prediction Center continues to highlight portions of the Midwest in an elevated risk for severe weather tonight, with the greatest concern focused on damaging straight-line winds as storm clusters organize and accelerate eastward.
6:33 PM ET 5 HRS AgoDeveloping Story
Severe weather outbreak underway with multiple warnings across 6 states
A severe weather outbreak is unfolding across parts of the Midwest this evening, with multiple Tornado Warnings already issued and the threat expected to continue well into the night.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed portions of Illinois and Indiana under a Moderate Risk (Level 4 of 5) for severe thunderstorms, indicating the potential for numerous severe storms, including strong tornadoes, destructive wind gusts and large hail.
A broader Enhanced Risk (Level 3 of 5) extends across parts of Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and neighboring states.
Forecasters warn that the atmosphere remains capable of producing intense supercell thunderstorms capable of generating long-track tornadoes.
As storms evolve through the evening, the threat may transition to a larger line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing widespread wind damage.
Stay with FOX Weather throughout the evening and overnight as our meteorologists track every warning, tornado report, and forecast update in real time.
6:16 PM ET 5 HRS Ago
Confirmed tornado near Iowa-Wisconsin border upgraded to PDS warning
A confirmed tornado moving through Allamakee County, Iowa, and toward the Wisconsin state line has been upgraded to a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) tornado warning.
Crawford County, Wisconsin, is also included in the Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) tornado warning.
According to the National Weather Service, the “large and extremely dangerous” tornado was located near Harpers Ferry, about 11 miles southeast of Lansing, and was moving east at 50 mph.The tornado was expected to be near Boscobel around 5:35 p.m. CDT.
Other locations potentially impacted by the tornadic thunderstorm include Highway 27 and County F, Plugtown, Steuben, Harris Ridge, the junction of highways 60 and 61, Maple Ridge and Lynxville.
The National Weather Service warned that this life-threatening, radar-confirmed tornado could be deadly. Residents in the warning area should seek shelter immediately, as complete destruction of homes and businesses is possible.
6:06 PM ET 5 HRS Ago
Radar-confirmed tornado moves through rural northeast Iowa
A confirmed tornado was reported near Harpers Ferry in rural northeastern Iowa on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the National Weather Service, radar indicated a tornado located near Harpers Ferry, about 8 miles south of Lansing, moving southeast at 45 mph.
The tornado was expected to move near Harpers Ferry around 5:05 p.m. CDT.Other locations potentially impacted by the tornadic thunderstorm include County Roads A52 and X52, Thompson Corner, Lock and Dam 9, Dalby and Eldergrove.
The storm is tracking toward the Wisconsin state line, though it remains in a sparsely populated part of Allamakee County. The National Weather Service warning listed only about 500 residents within the warned area.
Residents in the warned area should seek shelter immediately and stay tuned for additional updates from local officials and the National Weather Service.
5:50 PM ET 5 HRS Ago
Millions in Indiana, including Indianapolis, now under Tornado Watch
A Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of Indiana until 10 p.m. CDT, including Indianapolis, as the threat of a severe weather outbreak grows across the Midwest Wednesday evening
Forecasters warn that a few tornadoes are likely, along with scattered hail up to the size of tennis balls and widespread damaging wind gusts reaching 80 mph.
The watch covers more than 3.7 million people across Indiana, where atmospheric conditions are expected to support severe thunderstorms capable of producing all modes of severe weather through the evening hours.
The Indiana watch comes as multiple Tornado Watches remain in effect across parts of the Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana and portions of Missouri, where forecasters are monitoring the potential for strong tornadoes, very large hail and widespread damaging winds as storms race eastward through the evening.
Residents across the watch area are urged to stay weather-aware and have multiple ways to receive warnings as storms develop and intensify. Stick with FOX Weather as we continue to track the severe weather threat throughout the night.
5:42 PM ET 5 HRS Ago
Confirmed Tornado races across Central Illinois at 55 mph
A confirmed tornado was reported near Salisbury, Illinois, at 4:31 p.m. CDT Wednesday, moving east at 55 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The tornado was observed by law enforcement officials, prompting the issuance of a Tornado Warning for portions of Logan, Menard and Sangamon counties.
Forecasters warned that the storm was capable of producing a damaging tornado and hail up to the size of ping pong balls.
The dangerous thunderstorm was expected to move into Mechanicsburg, Dawson and Buffalo around 4:45 p.m. CDT before reaching Illiopolis around 4:55 p.m. CDT. Communities including Fancy Prairie, Spaulding and Cantrall were also in the storm’s projected path.
The warning also included stretches of two major highways in central Illinois. Interstate 55 was impacted between mile markers 100 and 113, while Interstate 72 was included in the warning area between mile markers 107 and 124.
Residents across the warned area were urged to take shelter immediately in an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and remain alert for additional warnings as the storm raced eastward across the region.
5:14 PM ET 6 HRS Ago
Take cover now: First afternoon Tornado Warning fires off for central Illinois
The dangerous second wave of severe weather is ramping up as the National Weather Service has just issued the afternoon’s first Tornado Warning in the Midwest.
This warning covers parts of east-central Illinois, placing Champaign, Douglas, Macon, and Piatt Counties directly under the gun.
Radar imagery has detected rapidly tightening rotation embedded inside an explosive supercell firing just south of the stalled warm front.
If you are in communities like Decatur, Champaign-Urbana, Monticello, or Tuscola, you need to trigger your severe weather plan immediately—move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, stay far away from windows, and protect yourself from flying debris until the threat passes.
4:37 PM ET 6 HRS Ago
Central Illinois and Indiana become prime target for evening tornadoes
The highest threat for intense tornado development has officially locked into a concentrated zone across central Illinois and central Indiana for the remainder of this afternoon and evening.
According to the latest analysis from the FOX Forecast Center, this critical boundary has aligned itself squarely along and just south of a stalled warm front.
While northern parts of the state were heavily worked over by rain and stabilizing cloud cover earlier today, the atmosphere across the midsection of both states has rapidly destabilized under clear afternoon skies.
Temperatures warming into the mid-80s combined with deep Gulf moisture have created an incredibly volatile environment primed for explosive, rotating supercells.
Atmospheric physics are heavily stacked across this central corridor, making it the primary zone to watch as the evening commute gets underway.
A high-velocity, 80 mph mid-level jet stream is slicing directly through the region, generating extreme environmental wind shear that will easily cause newly developing storms to twist and organize.
Forecasters warn that because the low-level winds are strongly veering along the stalled front, any discrete storm that taps into this boundary will have a heightened capability of producing strong, long-tracked tornadoes.
If you live along or between the Interstate 70 and Interstate 74 corridors—including cities from Springfield and Decatur over to Indianapolis—now is the time to review your severe weather plan and keep your wireless emergency alerts activated.
3:59 PM ET 7 HRS Ago
Searing across Illinois: Severe storms scream east at 60 mph through I-155 corridor
Fast-moving severe thunderstorms are slicing through central Illinois right now, tracking due east at a blistering forward speed of 60 mph.
These highly charged storms are pushing through major regional thoroughfares like the Interstate 155 and Interstate 74 corridors, packing a dangerous punch of localized 60-plus mph straight-line wind gusts, blinding downpours, and intense cloud-to-ground lightning.
Because these storms are traveling so incredibly fast, warning lead times are deeply compressed; FOX Weather meteorologists are urging residents downwind in cities like Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, Decatur, and Champaign to immediately wrap up outdoor activities, seek sturdy shelter inward, and remain glued to radar updates as this volatile line approaches.
3:47 PM ET 7 HRS Ago
Severe weather footprint widens: Kansas City metro placed under brand-new storm watch
The severe weather footprint is expanding across the midsection of the country this afternoon as the Storm Prediction Center drops a fresh watch over multiple states.
Heading into the evening commute, the active map is a patchwork of dangerous hazards: a localized Severe Thunderstorm Watch covers southeastern Minnesota to handle damaging wind gusts, while a Tornado Watch remains in place over central Missouri and Illinois to brace for rotating afternoon supercells.
Adding fuel to the fire, a brand-new Severe Thunderstorm Watch has just been blanked across eastern Kansas and western Missouri, placing the entire Kansas City metropolitan area in the direct line of fire.
This newest zone is facing a high-velocity line of storms that meteorologists warn could easily ignite large hail, relentless lightning, and destructive straight-line winds tracking over 70 mph through tonight.
3:36 PM ET 7 HRS Ago
Heading to Chicago? Buckle up for a grueling three-hour airport waiting game
If your travel plans involve flying into Chicago today, you might want to settle in, find a comfortable terminal seat, and brace yourself for a massive logistical headache.
With a fierce multi-round severe weather system violently reshaping the atmosphere over Illinois, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has officially initiated a rigorous Ground Delay Program for aircraft bound for the city’s major hubs.
Air traffic controllers are dealing with extensive airspace constraints caused by rolling thunderstorms and punishing wind gusts, forcing average arrival delays to rocket past the three-hour mark.
Because aircraft are being intentionally held on the tarmac at their origin airports across the country to prevent mid-air holding bottlenecks over Chicagoland, travelers nationwide should expect extensive, cascading schedule disruptions and missed connections to ripple across domestic airline networks well into the late-night hours.
3:32 PM ET 8 HRS Ago
Over 46,000 in the dark as severe storms knock out power across the Midwest
Power outages are multiplying across the heart of the country right now as an onslaught of severe weather knocks out electricity to thousands of families.
According to PowerOutage.com, the combination of intense wind gusts, lightning, and falling tree limbs has pushed localized power outages past 35,000 customers in Illinois and over 11,000 in Missouri.
3:24 PM ET 8 HRS Ago
Tornado Watch issued until 10 p.m. for St. Louis metro and central Illinois
The severe weather threat is ramping up as the Storm Prediction Center just issued a brand-new Tornado Watch that drops the St. Louis metropolitan area and surrounding counties directly into the danger zone until 10:00 p.m. CT.
After a brief midday lull following the initial morning rain, high-end mid-June sunshine has aggressively cooked the atmosphere, driving temperatures into the mid-80s and erasing any stabilization.
This rapid recovery has unlocked massive energy, combining deep tropical moisture with an unusually intense, high-velocity jet stream slicing overhead to create a setup highly favorable for intense rotational storms.
This evening watch marks the official transition into the day’s highly anticipated and much more dangerous second wave of severe weather.
Unlike the messy, sprawling line of storms from this morning, atmospheric mechanics are now primed to ignite discrete, individualized supercells spinning right out of northern Missouri and charging straight toward the Mississippi River.
FOX Weather meteorologists warn that because low-level wind shear values are pushing into extreme territory, any individual cell that fires has the distinct potential to breed an intense, long-track tornado, giant destructive hail, and straight-line winds roaring over 75 mph.
Commuters heading out for the evening drive across the St. Louis metro and western Illinois are being urged to lock in their safety shelters and stay glued to radar updates, as these storms will be traveling at a blistering forward speed of up to 60 mph.
2:47 PM ET 8 HRS Ago
FAA issues ground stop at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport amid severe storm threat
The sprawling severe weather system hammering the Midwest has expanded its impact on commercial aviation, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a ground stop for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) until 3:30 p.m. ET.
Severe thunderstorms rolling through Minnesota have drastically reduced visibility and forced strict airspace constraints, preventing a significant number of aircraft from safely entering the local traffic pattern.
This active ground hold directly impacts the majority of flights bound for MSP from neighboring Midwest airports, keeping planes grounded at their points of origin to alleviate building runway congestion in Minnesota.
With major regional hubs like Chicago already facing extreme delays, passengers traveling through the Upper Midwest are highly encouraged to verify their flight status before heading to the terminal, as these cascading cancellations and delays are expected to scramble airline schedules well into the evening.
2:39 PM ET 8 HRS Ago
Afternoon update: Highest tornado and severe wind threat shifts into central Illinois
In its crucial afternoon update, the FOX Weather Forecast Center has adjusted its exclusive Threat Zone, shifting the highest “Extreme” risk corridor farther south across Illinois.
This critical realigned zone—which carries the day’s peak potential for intense tornadoes, destructive straight-line winds, and massive hail—has tracked southward based on real-time radar data and morning storm evolution.
The shift was primarily dictated by the aggressive morning cluster of thunderstorms, which dumped heavy rain and pushed a massive, rain-cooled outflow boundary deeper into central Illinois than originally anticipated.
Because that boundary effectively pinned the northward advance of warm, tropical air, the prime atmospheric target where the most explosive afternoon supercells are expected to ignite has reset away from the state’s northern tier.
While metropolitan areas like Chicago are seeing a lowered risk for discrete, violent tornadoes as a result of this southward shift, communities throughout central Illinois and western Indiana must now elevate their vigilance.
2:28 PM ET 9 HRS Ago
Early June severe weather pacing at historic, near-record speeds for damaging wind reports
June is off to an exceptionally violent, near-historic start across the United States, cementing 2026 as one of the most active severe weather years in recent memory.
Data tracking preliminary severe storm logs from June 1 through June 16 reveals that the nation is experiencing its second-fastest start for damaging straight-line wind reports since comprehensive record-keeping began in 1955.
This month’s relentless barrage of bowing thunderstorm complexes and intense squall lines has churned out wind damage at a pace surpassed only by the legendary, hyperactive June of 2008, which logged a staggering 3,619 wind reports during the exact same 16-day opening window.
The extraordinary start to the month has meteorologists questioning whether 2026 could eventually rewrite the history books entirely. Given the highly volatile, persistent jet stream patterns currently locking into place across the central and eastern U.S., additional multi-state wind events—like the destructive systems barreling through the Midwest today—are expected to keep numbers climbing.
If the upcoming weeks remain this highly charged, atmospheric experts believe 2026 stands a legitimate chance at challenging the all-time full-month June record of 5,554 wind reports.
2:20 PM ET 9 HRS Ago
Dangerous storms could fire up at any moment in the Midwest
The Midwest is currently in a brief, short-lived lull of quiet weather before severe, possibly life-threatening storms ramp up this afternoon.
The second round of storms will come when atmospheric conditions start to rapidly destabilize.
Given the strong wind shear in place, discrete surpercells capable of producing intensive, long track tornadoes (EF-3+) are expected to develop soon.
Through the evening hours, these storms will develop into an intense line of severe storms, bringing a widespread threat of destructive, straight-line winds – which could top 75 mph – through the region, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
A very strong low jet stream will cause storms to move very fast as they develop (upwards of 50 to 60+ mph), so dangerous storms could move into areas very quickly, just in time for the evening commute.
2:20 PM ET 9 HRS Ago
Storm Prediction Center prepares Tornado Watch for Midwest as afternoon threat intensifies
The Storm Prediction Center is preparing to issue a brand-new Tornado Watch for a broad corridor spanning northern Missouri into western and central Illinois as the atmosphere rapidly primes itself for an aggressive afternoon round of severe weather.
While the morning’s initial cluster of storms has successfully cleared out into eastern Illinois, it has left behind a distinct zone of differential heating—essentially a sharp boundary between cooler, rain-washed air and clear, sun-baked terrain.
South of this boundary, intense daytime heating is actively underway across northern Missouri and western Illinois, quickly punching temperatures into the mid-80s and completely eroding the atmospheric “cap” (convective inhibition) that had previously been holding storms in check.
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Visible satellite imagery reveals an increasingly agitated cumulus field along this destabilizing corridor, signaling that explosive thunderstorm development is only a matter of time.
This volatile environment is backed by tremendous atmospheric physics, setting the stage for all severe hazards, including destructive straight-line winds, giant hail, and strong tornadoes.
1:53 PM ET 9 HRS Ago
Power outages slowly climb as rain soaks Illinois
Over 35,000 homes are without power as rain inundates Illinois. A second, stronger wave of storms will happen in a matter of hours.
Currently, the power outages are primarily in Henderson County, according to PowerOutage.us, but the worst is yet to come.
A Level 4 out of 5 severe storm threat is present for areas across north-central Illinois and western Indiana.
There is also a Level 3 out of 4 flash flood risk is in effect for the Chicago metro area.
Widespread rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches are expected, with localized amounts exceed 2 to 3 inches, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
1:23 PM ET 10 HRS Ago
FAA extends O’Hare ground stop, issues new hold at Midway as storms throttle Chicago airspace
Air traffic gridlock is rapidly intensifying across the region as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has extended the ground stop at Chicago O’Hare International Airport until 3:00 p.m. ET.
Additionally, conditions have deteriorated enough to prompt a brand-new ground stop for Chicago Midway International Airport, which is slated to remain in effect until 2:30 p.m. ET.
These aggressive air traffic holds mean most flights bound for the two massive Chicago hubs are being kept on the tarmac at their origin airports as thunderstorms, torrential rain, and strong winds barrels directly through the region.
Travelers nationwide should prepare for rolling delays and cascading cancellations throughout the rest of the day, as these extended ground stops will heavily disrupt fleet and crew positioning for subsequent flight legs across the country.
12:52 PM ET 10 HRS Ago
Ground stop halts Chicago-bound flights as severe Midwest storms blast the region
The severe weather charging across the Midwest is hitting Chicago hard, triggering extensive flight disruptions and a temporary ground stop at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
As the violent first wave of thunderstorms and intense wind gusts sweeps through Illinois, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented a ground stop until 1:30 p.m. ET for most inbound flights destined for the major hub.
The severe weather has forced air traffic controllers to implement strict spacing measures, causing average departure delays at O’Hare to quickly climb to 30 minutes and growing.
Major carriers like United and American Airlines have already activated flexible travel waivers for the region, and passengers are strongly urged to monitor their flight status continuously, as these delays are highly likely to ripple across the country throughout the afternoon.
12:42 PM ET 10 HRS Ago
Flash flood threat shifts south in Midwest as central Illinois and Indiana face highest risk
The FOX Forecast Center says the highest threat for dangerous flash flooding has shifted south across the Midwest today, driven by real-time observational trends and the latest high-resolution computer guidance.
The massive morning storm complex rolling across northern Illinois has acted as a atmospheric block, effectively halting the northward progression of the warm front and its pooling moisture.
As a result, the zone primed for the heaviest, most persistent rain has realigned along a tight west-northwest to east-southeast axis cutting directly through central Illinois into central Indiana.
Storms on the southern and southwest flanks of the ongoing morning complex will easily tap into extreme moisture along this stalled front, while new storms are forecast to repeatedly develop and “train” (track over the exact same areas) over the region.
With torrential rain rates expected to reach up to 2 inches per hour, widespread totals will quickly stack up to 3 to 5 inches, with localized bullseyes picking up as much as 6 to 7 inches of water.
11:46 AM ET 11 HRS Ago
Rain inundates Chicago metro area as dangerous flash flood threat grows
A steady shield of heavy rain is enveloping the entire Chicago metropolitan area this morning, kicking off a multi-hazard weather day that threatens to culminate in significant flash flooding.
The National Weather Service has placed the region under a Flood Watch through this evening as this powerful first wave drops torrential downpours at rates exceeding two inches per hour, targeting a landscape already highly saturated from last week’s stormy deluge.
Localized totals could quickly stack up to 2 to 4 inches across Chicagoland by midday, threatening to overwhelm city drainage systems, rapidly fill low-lying viaducts, and spark sudden, dangerous pooling on major expressways.
While the immediate concern through the noon hour remains widespread street flooding and ponding, meteorologists warn that this morning’s relentless rain is directly linked to an even larger threat looming for the late afternoon and evening.
This initial moisture surge is dragging a potent warm front northward across Illinois. Exactly where this boundary stalls by mid-afternoon will dictate where the atmosphere violently destabilizes, unleashing a second wave of explosive, tornadic supercells.
Commuters across the metro area are urged to remain exceptionally weather-aware today, check radar before hitting the roads, and remember the life-saving rule to never drive through flooded turn lanes or standing water.
11:35 AM ET 12 HRS Ago
More than 27,000 customers lose power as violent morning storms ravage Illinois
The destructive first wave of severe weather has left a growing trail of utility damage across Illinois, with more than 27,000 customers currently plunged into darkness.
As the violent bowing line of thunderstorms ripped eastward from the Mississippi River, its damaging straight-line wind gusts easily snapped heavy tree limbs and sent them crashing into local distribution lines.
The highest concentration of electrical disruptions is tracking along the hard-hit northern and central portions of the state, where regional providers like Ameren Illinois and ComEd have already mobilized emergency field crews to assess downed poles and start complex grid repairs.
10:59 AM ET 12 HRS Ago
Roads flood and storms roar as violent first wave hammers Illinois communities
A fast-moving line of severe storms is charging across Illinois right now, unleashing dual hazards as dangerous straight-line winds and rapid flash flooding strike simultaneously.
This intense morning wave is dropping torrential rain at rates exceeding 2 inches per hour, quickly overwhelming drainage systems and triggering widespread flash flooding across already saturated ground.
9:56 AM ET 13 HRS Ago
Analysis: Why today’s atmospheric setup could trigger the most dangerous tornado outbreak of 2026
While 2026 has already delivered its share of destructive weather—including a high-end EF-4 in Oklahoma back in April and a localized, multi-tornado barrage just last week on June 11—meteorologists are warning that today’s atmospheric setup across the Midwest carries a rare, violent synergy that could easily make this the most severe tornado outbreak of the year so far.
What sets today apart from previous events isn’t just the sheer amount of fuel in the air, but the terrifyingly synchronized timing of two distinct atmospheric mechanisms over Illinois and Indiana.
Typically, early-morning storm complexes cap the atmosphere, leaving it stabilized and “cooked” for the rest of the day. Instead, this morning’s initial line is moving so incredibly fast that it is vacating the region by midday, leaving an extraordinarily wide window for high-end mid-June sunshine to bake and rapidly rebuild the environment.
The core of the analysis boils down to an overlap of physics that forecasters rarely see in such high numbers outside of major historical outbreaks:
Extreme instability recovery: Behind the early morning storms, robust warm-air advection (horizontal transport of heat and moisture) is dragging deep Gulf moisture northward. Combined with peak solar heating, this will rocket Mean-Layer CAPE (convective available potential energy) values up to an explosive 2,000 to 3,500 J/kg across Illinois.
Atypical jet stream speed: By mid-June, the jet stream usually retreats north into Canada, taking the strong wind dynamics with it. Today, a highly anomalous 80 mph mid-level jet stream is slicing directly through the Midwest, generating extreme environmental wind shear.
Boundless outflow factor: As the morning storm cluster leaves, it is carving out sharp “outflow boundaries”—miniature, highly localized cold fronts left behind by rain-cooled air. When the afternoon’s discrete supercells form, they will inevitably collide with these boundaries. This physical interaction dramatically intensifies the low-level spin, vastly increasing the likelihood of long-tracked, intense tornadoes (EF-3 or stronger).
With individual storms projected to scream across the terrain at speeds up to 60 mph, the atmospheric parameters are primed to create a highly dangerous afternoon, making this a true top-tier severe weather threat for 2026.
9:37 AM ET 13 HRS Ago
Damage reports emerge from Iowa after hurricane-force morning wind assault
Initial damage reports are flooding in across central and eastern Iowa following this morning’s violent line of severe storms.
Local emergency managers and weather spotters report widespread structural impacts, featuring snapped power poles, torn roof structures, and massive uprooted trees that have blocked secondary roads and damaged homes.
Hard-hit communities like Albion—which bore the brunt of a devastating 94 mph straight-line wind gust—are working alongside utility crews to clear tangled power lines and debris.
As the storms exit the state into Illinois, thousands of residents remain without electricity.
9:29 AM ET 14 HRS Ago
Intense morning storms cross the Mississippi River, battering Illinois communities
The dangerous first wave of today’s multi-round severe weather threat is crashing into western and northwestern Illinois right now.
Fueled by an ultra-strong low-level jet stream, a roaring, highly organized bowing wall of thunderstorms has crossed the Mississippi River from Iowa, bringing an immediate onslaught of 70-plus mph straight-line wind gusts, blinding downpours, and intense lightning.
Multiple severe warnings are actively flying along the leading edge of the line as it tracks rapidly southeastward toward the Interstate 74 and Interstate 72 corridors.
If you’re in the path of these fast-moving storms, you should seek shelter immediately, as the localized wind shear is strong enough to spawn quick, rain-wrapped tornadoes directly within the advancing line.
9:08 AM ET 14 HRS Ago
Significant severe weather outbreak threatens millions across the Midwest
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A highly complex and rapidly intensifying severe weather outbreak is shifting into high gear across the Midwest today, with the peak threat zeroing in on Illinois and Indiana through tonight.
The morning’s intense, well-organized cluster of storms—which already blasted parts of Iowa with hurricane-force straight-line wind gusts up to 94 mph—is marching southeast into north-central and west-central Illinois.
Forecasters note that the southern edge of this cluster is interacting with an exceptionally strong 80 mph jet stream and a northeastward-shifting warm front. This atmospheric setup is expected to trigger an appreciable uptick in surface-based storm intensity, unleashing several intense tornadoes, destructive wind gusts over 75 mph, and damaging wind-driven hail.
Ahead of this main line, a secondary, highly conditional threat is emerging across Indiana and Ohio, where extreme wind shear profiles could warp residual morning activity into isolated, rotating supercells near the advancing warm front.
As the first morning wave exits, intense mid-June sunshine and surging moisture levels will fuel a rapid, explosive air mass recovery across Missouri and central Illinois. With dew points pooling in the upper 60s to low 70s, a localized corridor of extreme instability will prime the atmosphere for a broken line of discrete, long-tracked supercells by mid-to-late afternoon.
Because of incredible venting aloft and powerful low-level wind fields, these individualized supercells will have a heightened capability to generate strong to potentially violent tornadoes, especially where they collide with prior storm outflow boundaries.
8:53 AM ET 14 HRS Ago
Tornado Watch issued for large swath of Illinois as fast-moving morning storms charge east
A newly issued Tornado Watch is now in effect for a massive portion of Illinois until 3:00 p.m. CT today, signaling an immediate ramping up of danger as a potent morning storm cluster charges into the state.
This watch focuses primarily on the immediate threat from a highly organized, bowing segment of thunderstorms tracking quickly eastward out of Iowa, which is capable of laying down a wide swath of hurricane-force wind gusts up to 80 or 100 mph and spawning spin-up tornadoes.
People inside the watch zone should treat these morning storms with the utmost urgency, as the intense wind fields overlapping the region mean tornadoes can spin up rapidly along the leading edge of the line with little to no advanced warning.
FOX Weather meteorologists are strictly emphasizing that this morning’s Tornado Watch is merely the opening act of what is expected to be a long and dangerous day. Once this initial line of storms shifts east by midday, the atmosphere across Illinois is forecast to rapidly recover, heat up, and destabilize.
This clearing will prime the region for a second, even more explosive round of discrete supercell thunderstorms by mid-to-late afternoon.
Because the second wave will bring the highest potential for intense, long-track violent tornadoes (EF-3 or stronger), residents must remain weather-aware all day and not let their guard down once this first morning batch of rainfall passes through.
8:27 AM ET 15 HRS Ago
Understanding the Enhanced Fujita Scale and how meteorologists measure a tornado’s power
When severe storms strike, you will frequently hear meteorologists classify tornadoes on a scale from EF-0 to EF-5, but these numbers are never assigned while the tornado is actually happening.
Because radar cannot reliably measure wind speeds at ground level and traditional weather instruments are usually destroyed by the vortex, tornadoes are rated entirely after the fact through forensic engineering.
National Weather Service survey teams are dispatched to the disaster zone to examine the wreckage, using the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale as their guide. This system uses 28 distinct “damage indicators”—ranging from residential homes and strip malls to specific tree species—and evaluates the degree of destruction to backward-calculate how fast the rotational winds must have been blowing to cause that specific damage.
The scale acts as a post-storm diagnostic tool, correlating physical wreckage to estimated three-second wind gusts.
An EF-0 tornado is the weakest tier, causing light damage like stripped roof shingles with winds between 65 and 85 mph. As you climb the scale, the structural thresholds increase exponentially: an EF-3 tornado brings severe damage with winds up to 165 mph capable of tearing roofs and walls off well-built homes, while a violent EF-5 represents the absolute pinnacle of atmospheric fury.
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To achieve an EF-5 rating, a tornado must generate winds exceeding 200 mph, leaving behind total destruction such as clean, swept foundations and bark completely stripped from trees.
Because it relies entirely on what the storm hits, a monster tornado spinning over an empty open field might only receive an EF-0 rating simply because there were no structures available to indicate its true structural capacity.
8:18 AM ET 15 HRS Ago
Volatile atmospheric setup primes part of Midwest for violent tornadoes today
The highest probability for violent, long-track tornadoes today is tightly clustered across central and northern Illinois into western and central Indiana.
This core threat zone is highlighted by the Storm Prediction Center’s Level 4 out of 5 risk, placing cities like Peoria and Springfield, Illinois, alongside Lafayette, Indiana, directly in the crosshairs.
Forecasters are particularly concerned about this corridor because a powerful mid-level jet stream is overlapping an unstable, moisture-rich air mass, creating “off-the-charts” wind shear.
This volatile combination will allow explosive thunderstorms to easily develop into discrete, rotating supercells capable of producing intense tornadoes rated EF-3 or higher.
While the primary bulls-eye sits over Illinois and Indiana, the threat for tornadoes is not entirely confined to those borders. A surrounding Level 3 out of 5 Risk extends the danger zone westward toward St. Louis and northward directly into the Chicago metropolitan area.
Because a strong low-level jet stream is fueling these storms, any supercells that successfully tap into the atmosphere’s extreme energy will be fast-moving, screaming east-southeast at speeds up to 60 mph.
People throughout these threat zones need to monitor radar closely from mid-afternoon through the evening, as a tornado-producing storm could approach shelter areas with dangerous speed.
8:01 AM ET 15 HRS Ago
Albion clocks terrifying 94 mph wind gust as fierce morning storms blast Iowa
The severe morning storms moving through the state have turned destructive, highlighted by a staggering 94 mph wind gust recorded earlier this morning in Albion, Iowa.
This extreme, hurricane-force wind gust caught the small Marshall County community directly in the crosshairs of a blistering, fast-moving line of severe thunderstorms.
Local emergency officials are already responding to widespread damage reports in the area, including downed trees, mangled utility poles, and roof structural damage.
FOX Weather meteorologists say this terrifying velocity in Albion confirms the immense power of this morning’s initial wave, which is actively paving the way for an even more explosive severe weather outbreak across the wider Midwest later today.
7:49 AM ET 15 HRS Ago
Vicious morning storms blast Iowa with hurricane-force wind gusts and large hail
A vicious first wave of severe weather is slamming through Iowa this morning, dropping large hail and unleashing terrifying, hurricane-force wind gusts that have already topped 90 mph in central parts of the state.
A sprawling Severe Thunderstorm Watch blankets most of the state as a fast-moving, highly volatile line of storms tracks rapidly eastward, triggering widespread damage to trees, roofs, and power lines.
Local National Weather Service offices have been actively firing off severe warnings from Des Moines to the Quad Cities as radar shows clusters packing heavy, blinding downpours and intense cloud-to-ground lightning.
Forecasters warn that this morning’s initial assault is only setting the stage for a much larger threat, as the atmosphere behind this line is expected to rapidly destabilize and prime the region for a second, even more explosive round of tornadic supercells later this afternoon.
7:45 AM ET 15 HRS AgoDeveloping Story
Dangerous storm outbreak targets Midwest just days after previous round of severe weather
A dangerous severe weather outbreak is brewing across the Midwest this Wednesday, bringing an elevated risk for intense, long-track tornadoes and destructive straight-line winds just days after the same region was hammered by tornadoes and hail.
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The threat is so volatile that the FOX Weather Forecast Center has upgraded its exclusive Threat Zone to an Extreme Risk—its highest level—covering roughly half a million Americans across north-central Illinois and northwest Indiana.
Adding to the danger, the severe setup is accompanied by a Level 3 out of 4 flash flood risk, prompting Flood Watches for major metro areas like Chicago and Detroit as widespread rain totals look to trigger rapid flooding on already waterlogged ground.
Atmospheric conditions are expected to rapidly destabilize by this afternoon. Fueled by a powerful low-level jet stream, explosive discrete supercells are forecast to form, carrying the potential to produce intense, long-track tornadoes of EF-3 or greater strength.
As the evening progresses, these cells will morph into an aggressive line of storms capable of unleashing widespread 75+ mph straight-line winds.
Because these storms will be moving at a blistering forward speed of 50 to 60+ mph, residents are urged to remain highly vigilant, as dangerous conditions will arrive with very little warning.

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After originally being slated to spend the night in Los Angeles following its World Cup opener on Monday, the Iranian men’s soccer team was ordered to leave the country as soon as possible.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei said it was ordered to leave the U.S. and return to its training base in Mexico only a few hours after opening its politically charged tournament by playing to a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday night.
Ghalenoei didn’t say who ordered the Iranians to leave earlier than planned. The team had expected to spend the night in California to maximize the normal recovery process after its opening game, only to be told after the match that everyone must immediately get on a plane for the 140-mile trip back to Tijuana.
WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE
“They didn’t even give us time to recover,” Ghalenoei said through an interpreter. “After the game today, they said to us, ‘You have to leave immediately.’ It’s very important for us to have time for recovery, (but) we are asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana, and we are really troubled by that.”
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi said the team endured five hours of travel and security checks during what is normally a very short trip from Tijuana to the Los Angeles area on Sunday.
HURRICANES LEGEND TURNED COACH ROD BRIND’AMOUR MAKES HISTORY AS TEAM WINS STANLEY CUP OVER GOLDEN KNIGHTS
“We don’t know why they are returning us, to be honest,” Ghalenoei said. “I think it’s very strange. It seems like others are doing the planning for us. The decision-making for us is being made elsewhere. We were supposed to come two nights before the game, and we were supposed to stay tonight to recover and return tomorrow at lunchtime. We have no idea why.
“I think our team is perhaps the most oppressed in the World Cup.”
Taremi called on FIFA to offer additional assistance.
“I think FIFA have to help us more than this. … Everything is like a disaster, actually, for us,” he said.
The Iranians’ remaining two games in group play are against Belgium in Inglewood on Sunday, followed by a trip to Seattle to face Egypt next week.
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While several hundred Iranian Americans protested the government outside, many fans from the diaspora jeered and turned their backs on the field during the national anthem. Dozens of Lion and Sun emblems — the centerpiece of Iran’s official flag before 1979 — were displayed in the crowd despite FIFA’s attempts to keep them away, while dozens more fans wore the Lion and Sun emblems on T-shirts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Washington — The FBI said Tuesday that it disrupted an attempt to attack Sunday’s UFC America 250 event at the White House, with court records detailing an alleged plot to use small drones carrying explosives and snipers to target senior government officials and wealthy attendees.
A law enforcement source told CBS News that five people are in custody so far. At least one suspect, 19-year-old Tycen Proper, was arrested in the Southern District of Ohio on Monday and faces four charges, including attempted murder of a federal officer and conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S., according to court filings.
He has been ordered to remain in custody pending a detention hearing Wednesday, according to court records.
Proper was interviewed by federal investigators on Thursday and admitted to planning, with others, a coordinated attack against the U.S. government during the UFC fight on Sunday, according to an affidavit submitted by an FBI agent.
Proper told investigators that he began communicating with others via a TikTok group called “Vanguard of the Old” in March, who all said they wanted to protect the U.S. and believed the nation was headed in the wrong direction, according to the affidavit.
Communications among the group members continued on the encrypted messaging app Signal, where the FBI said they planned the attack for the UFC fight.
According to the affidavit, Proper described a plan in which members of the group would leave their homes on Friday or Saturday to meet up in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and travel to Washington, where they would stage a “demonstration” on the north side of the White House.
While the demonstration was taking place, the group would “fly small, unmanned aircraft (i.e. drones) laden with unspecified explosive devices which would detonate over the north side of the UFC arena,” according to the filing.
When the drones exploded, the group then planned to force attendees of the UFC event and “high value targets” to evacuate to the south, the affidavit said. Proper told investigators that the plan was for group members to “act as snipers and additional shooters,” shooting fight attendees and the “high value targets” as they fled from the explosions.
The affidavit said the “high value targets” were “wealthy people” and politicians. Proper allegedly told investigators the goal of the attack was to “jumpstart” a revolution in the U.S.
The FBI and local law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at the home of Proper’s parents, where he lives, on Thursday. Investigators said they found a “large quantity” of ammunition and tactical clothing.
Proper’s family also became concerned with statements he had made in recent months, including “sympathetic comments about Adolf Hitler” and antisemitic content posted on his social media, according to the affidavit.
CBS News’ Pat Milton reported earlier that law enforcement became aware of the threat after a relative contacted them, concerned that a family member was talking about doing something nefarious in Washington, D.C.
An FBI review of Proper’s phone messages with alleged co-conspirators revealed his desire to target lawmakers for taking money from AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group, the affidavit said.
FBI Director Kash Patel revealed the existence of the alleged plot earlier Tuesday.
“On June 10, FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C. involving individuals outside of the National Capital Region — and thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel wrote in a post on X.
“It was a serious threat,” U.S. Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn said during a briefing Tuesday morning. He said he could not provide too many details because it remains an active investigation, but said, “They were planning to attack the Freedom 250. … There are still suspects at large, and we’re going to work it until everyone’s been identified.”
Quinn added, “The event itself, I am confident in saying, was never at risk due to the great investigative work.”
The White House hosted the event on Sunday — President Trump’s 80th birthday — as part of the celebrations of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Thousands turned out to watch the fights on the White House South Lawn, where Mr. Trump sat in the front row.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement that the agency had worked “closely with the FBI throughout this investigation,” and their “formal comments regarding the specifics of this case will be made available in court filings.”
Patel praised the FBI, saying the result “represented the best of investigative work” and was “nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team.”
“We are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens — particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight,” Patel said. “That’s exactly what we did here.”

1:10 PM ET Just NowBreaking News
Flash Flood Warning issued for Shreveport, Bossier City, and Marshall
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for northwestern Louisiana and northeastern Texas until 3:00 p.m. CT this afternoon, as a cluster of powerful thunderstorms dumps torrential rainfall across the Ark-La-Tex region.
The immediate warning zone covers southern Caddo and southern Bossier parishes in Louisiana, as well as Harrison County in Texas.Populated areas including Shreveport, Bossier City, and Marshall are directly in the path of this high-impact flooding.
Local emergency officials are warning that rapid runoff is primed to flood creeks, streams, low-lying urban sectors, highways, and residential underpasses, potentially cutting off key commuting routes.
If you are traveling through the area this afternoon, remain highly alert to rapidly changing conditions and remember the vital, life-saving rule when encountering submerged streets: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
1:05 PM ET 4 Min Ago
FOX Weather Threat Zone places millions on high alert for life-threatening flash floods
The FOX Weather Threat Zone has lit up this week, highlighting an expansive, high-risk corridor primed for life-threatening flash flooding across the Gulf Coast.
Millions of Americans stretching from South Texas through Louisiana and deep into Mississippi are directly in the crosshairs of this dangerous, multi-day atmospheric setup.
A plume of record-rich tropical moisture is aggressively colliding with a stalled cold front, effectively turning the sky into a relentless firehose capable of dumping widespread totals of 3 to 6 inches, with localized bullseyes threatening to see up to 15 inches of water.
FOX Weather meteorologists warn that the danger will be amplified by training thunderstorms—stationary storm cells that repeatedly track over the exact same neighborhoods.
With the highest threat levels locked in through midweek, people inside the Threat Zone are urged to treat this event with extreme seriousness, monitor live radar updates, and never underestimate the power of fast-rising floodwaters.
12:51 PM ET 18 Min AgoBreaking News
Flash Flood Warning issued for Houston as storms inundate the metro with heavy rain
The FOX Forecast Center is tracking thunderstorms moving directly through the Houston metropolitan area, unleashing heavy rain across the region.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Houston and Harris County until 2:15 p.m. CT because the downpours are capable of producing quick ponding on area roads and slowing down local commuters.
Because atmospheric moisture levels remain incredibly high across Southeast Texas, weather conditions can change rapidly, and everyone in the metro area is strongly urged to stay weather-aware throughout the day.
11:55 AM ET 1 HR AgoBreaking News
Classes canceled and employees told to shelter in place at STC Mid-Valley campus
Flash flooding hitting the region has forced South Texas College to cancel all classes at its Mid-Valley campus until further notice.
In addition to the academic cancellations, campus officials have issued an urgent directive instructing all STC employees currently on-site to shelter in place as hazardous conditions escalate outside.
In a post on X, the college says administrators are actively monitoring the storm and will provide official updates as new information becomes available, advising the campus community to remain tuned to local weather stations and monitor STC’s social media platforms for safety announcements.
11:51 AM ET 1 HR Ago
Life-threatening Flash Flood Warning issued for southeastern Hidalgo County
The National Weather Service has issued a critical Flash Flood Warning for southeastern Hidalgo County until 1:00 p.m. CT this afternoon as relentless tropical downpours slam the area.
Doppler radar indicates that between 2.5 and 6 inches of rain have already fallen across the region, with additional rain rates of up to 1.5 inches per hour threatening to exacerbate the ongoing, life-threatening flash flooding.
Communities including Weslaco, Donna, and Mercedes are bracing for impacts, with emergency officials warning that roads, highways, and low-lying urban underpasses could rapidly become completely impassable.
10:55 AM ET 2 HRS Ago
Dangerous and life-threatening flooding slams Texas amid heavy rain
Ryan Dirker from the Waco Office of Emergency Management joined FOX Weather to talk about how his city is responding to this ongoing threat.
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10:52 AM ET 2 HRS Ago
Swiftwater boat teams on standby in Austin as flood threat surges
The Austin-Travis County Emergency Management Agency in Texas confirmed that first responders successfully resolved an overnight flood incident involving a single stranded driver.
No injuries were reported from the scene, which stands as the only rescue call emergency personnel responded to last night in Austin.
Local authorities are taking no chances with this week’s flash flood threat and have officially placed specialized swiftwater boat teams on standby to respond immediately if flash flooding escalates.
10:45 AM ET 2 HRS Ago
City of Boerne shuts down all public trails as rising Cibolo Creek floods local paths
Heavy morning rain has prompted the City of Boerne in Texas to close all city trails and numerous streets until further notice due to dangerous, rising water levels.
Severe flash flooding along Cibolo Creek has sent water spilling over into several trail sections, leaving them completely submerged and unsafe for public use.
The flooding has also significantly impacted local traffic, forcing city crews to shut down multiple roadways. Among the most critical closures is Herff Road at River Road, where conditions continue to deteriorate as Cibolo Creek swells.
City personnel are actively monitoring the situation and will reopen transportation and recreational paths only after water levels have safely receded.
10:43 AM ET 2 HRS Ago
Firefighters rescue 15 stranded campers from fast-rising floodwaters in Oklahoma
A weekend camping trip turned into an emergency operation on Sunday morning when Tahlequah firefighters and multiple local agencies rushed to rescue 15 campers stranded by fast-rising floodwaters in Oklahoma.
The group was caught off guard at Littlefields at Spring Creek, located just outside of the Peggs community in northern Cherokee County.
Law enforcement personnel arriving first on the scene determined that the campers were completely trapped by the encroaching water, requiring rescue boats to safely navigate to the campsite, which sat an estimated quarter of a mile away from the nearest accessible county road.
The rescue quickly became a highly coordinated, multi-agency effort as Tahlequah firefighters joined emergency responders from Peggs, the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA), Illinois River, and Locust Grove at a central staging area.
Crews successfully launched rescue boats into the turbulent waters to reach the isolated site.
Thanks to the swift and seamless collaboration among the various departments, all 15 campers were safely transported back to the staging area with no injuries reported.
Click here to see the full Facebook post from the Tahlequah Fire Department.
10:29 AM ET 2 HRS Ago
More than 25 million Americans under flood alerts from Texas to Mississippi
The sheer scale of the dangerous weather setup gripping the Deep South is coming into focus this morning, with more than 25 million Americans currently under some type of flood alert.
The massive zone of concern stretches all the way from South Texas, across most of Louisiana, and well into Mississippi.
10:16 AM ET 2 HRS AgoDeveloping Story
NWS Houston issues urgent warning for rare flood risk as record moisture takes aim
The National Weather Service office in Houston has issued a stark warning this morning as a dangerous weather pattern begins to take shape over Southeast Texas.
Meteorologists warn that the atmosphere is primed to become exceptionally optimized for rain efficiency through late in the workweek.
Morning forecast soundings reveal a textbook setup for deluge conditions: precipitable water (PWAT) values approaching a staggering 2.3 to 2.6 inches. These moisture values skyrocket well past the 90th climatological percentile, even shattering daily records for this time of year.
A dangerous weather pattern is beginning to take shape over SE Texas early today with hazardous weather conditions anticipated through late in the work week.
– National Weather Service Houston/Galveston, Texas
As a cold front drifts south and stalls, it will act as a relentless lifting mechanism to unleash widespread showers and thunderstorms today.
The threat escalates significantly into Tuesday and Wednesday as an atmospheric “X-Factor” enters the picture—a trough of low pressure currently over northeastern Mexico drifting toward the Texas coastal bend.
Even if this low fails to undergo official tropical development, its interaction with the record-rich airmass has historically produced catastrophic rain.
Because of this, the Weather Prediction Center has placed the region under a rare “moderate risk” (level 3 out of 4) for excessive rain, forecasting widespread totals of 3 to 8 inches with blinding rainfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour—and up to 5 inches per hour possible near the coast.
Meteorologists emphasize that a “moderate risk” is a seldom-issued, high-impact designation, pointing out the chilling reality that roughly 1 out of 5 historical flood fatalities occur during these specific risk days.
10:08 AM ET 3 HRS Ago
Flooding causes significant road damage and prompts multiple water rescues in Sisterdale
The Sisterdale Volunteer Fire Department in Texas is reporting significant damage to local roads after torrential floodwaters ripped through the area this morning.
Emergency crews remain actively deployed across the Sisterdale region, responding to a dangerous string of multiple incidents involving both vehicles and individuals who have become stranded in rising low-water crossings.
9:48 AM ET 3 HRS AgoBreaking News
Flash flooding leaves multiple roads underwater and impassable at Keesler Air Force Base
The relentless flash flood threat impacting coastal Mississippi has prompted road closures inside Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.
Base officials report that torrential downpours have left multiple roadways entirely underwater and completely impassable to traffic.
Personnel and residents on the installation are being urged to avoid all non-essential travel and remain weather-aware as emergency crews monitor the rising waters across the base.
9:43 AM ET 3 HRS Ago
Tremendous rain threatens a broad swath from Houston to Corpus Christi today
The stage is set for a day of tremendous, highly dangerous rain along the Texas Gulf Coast as two distinct atmospheric features collide directly over the region.
Flooding downpours are currently surging south toward the coast, meeting a massive plume of abundant tropical moisture that is flowing directly north off the warm waters of the Gulf of America.
This powerful convergence is expected to unleash relentless, heavy rain across a vulnerable corridor stretching all the way from Houston through Victoria and down to Corpus Christi, with FOX Weather meteorologists warning that rapid urban and flash flooding will remain an immediate threat throughout the day.
9:27 AM ET 3 HRS Ago
Torrential rain swamps coastal Mississippi with severe flash flooding this morning
Flash flooding has hit coastal Mississippi this morning, prompting alarming reports from the Biloxi area.
Torrential downpours have completely inundated local neighborhoods, with water levels reportedly reaching halfway up to neighborhood mailboxes in some severely impacted areas.
Some roads from Biloxi through Saint Martin are currently submerged under 1 to 2 feet of standing water, making travel extraordinarily hazardous.
Local authorities are pleading with commuters to stay off flooded residential streets and main thoroughfares as infrastructure struggles to handle the immense runoff.
9:06 AM ET 4 HRS Ago
Analysis: Why the brewing Gulf disturbance is unlikely to earn an official tropical name this week
While a firehose of tropical moisture is poised to trigger historic flooding across the Deep South, the FOX Forecast Center notes that the system is highly unlikely to organize into Tropical Depression One or Tropical Storm Arthur this week.
The primary reason for this lack of development stems from the system’s current structure and its immediate environment.
The main upper-level area of circulation remains heavily disorganized and tucked over land in northeastern Mexico, which severely limits its ability to tap into the warm ocean waters needed to build a traditional tropical core.
Furthermore, as the disturbance attempts to edge toward the northwestern Gulf of America by midweek, it faces highly hostile atmospheric roadblocks. Unfavorable environmental conditions, including strong upper-level wind shear and pockets of dry air, are expected to tear at the system, preventing it from wrapping into a cohesive, symmetrical tropical cyclone.
June disturbances historically struggle against these early-season inhibitors, meaning the National Hurricane Center maintains a very low probability for development.
However, forecasters reiterate that whether the system receives a name or not has no bearing on its danger—the threat of catastrophic rain remains entirely unchanged.
9:01 AM ET 4 HRS Ago
Texas Department of Public Safety issues stark warning as vehicles stand stranded on I-35
The Central Texas Department of Public Safety is issuing a stark warning to drivers as first responders conducted rescue operations on southbound Interstate 35 between Waco and Hewitt overnight.
Multiple vehicles became completely stranded in deep floodwaters between mile markers 330 and 327, triggering massive traffic delays while crews work to safely clear the roadway.
8:49 AM ET 4 HRS Ago
Pinned
Analysis: Why this “no-name” storm could catch millions off guard with historic Gulf Coast flooding
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The FOX Forecast Center is warning that a dangerous sense of complacency could leave millions of residents along the Texas Gulf Coast vulnerable to a catastrophic flooding event this week.
Because the chances of this system organizing into a named tropical storm or depression remain exceptionally low, many residents may assume the threat is minor.
However, history has repeatedly proven that “no-name” systems—unbound by the strict definitions of a tropical cyclone—can be just as devastating as a named hurricane when it comes to rainfall.
By focusing solely on wind speeds or a lack of a storm name, communities from Houston to Galveston risk being caught completely off guard by the sheer magnitude of what is coming.
The physical reality on the ground is that this type of unnamed storm carries the exact same water hazards as a major tropical system. Right now, an upper-level area of circulation is pulling near-record levels of Pacific and Gulf moisture directly into a stalled cold front.
This atmospheric alignment is acting as a relentless firehose, poised to dump an unbelievable 8 to 12 inches of rain over the region through much of the workweek.
Without the psychological trigger of a Tropical Storm Warning to prompt evacuations or emergency preparations, normal morning commutes can rapidly transform into life-threatening situations.
People must look past the lack of a name and recognize that the extreme Level 3 out of 4 flash flood threat facing the Texas and Louisiana coastlines is a high-end emergency demanding immediate readiness.
8:38 AM ET 4 HRS Ago
Driver trapped on I-35 near Waco shares terrifying encounter with fast-rising flash floods
A driver trapped on Interstate 35 near Waco is expressing profound gratitude this morning after narrowly escaping a terrifying flash flood ordeal on the highway.
Rick Smith recounted the harrowing experience of watching floodwaters fiercely cascade over a nearby retaining wall, noting how easily the situation could have turned into a horrible tragedy had the structure failed.
8:34 AM ET 4 HRS Ago
Overnight deluge dumps more than seven inches of rain across the Texas Hill Country
A powerful overnight deluge has left a massive swath of Central Texas waterlogged this morning, with the FOX Forecast Center recording eye-popping rain totals in the Texas Hill Country.
Isolated locations have already tracked more than 7 inches of rain since Sunday night, instantly overwhelming local creeks and drainage systems.
8:29 AM ET 4 HRS Ago
Catastrophic flash flood threat looms as historic rain totals target Houston and Galveston
The FOX Forecast Center is raising alarms over a truly staggering amount of tropical moisture targeted at the Gulf Coast region this week. Meteorologists are now projecting widespread rainfall totals of 8 to 12 inches to fall along the Texas Gulf Coast, with the extreme deluge stretching eastward across the entirety of Louisiana and deep into Mississippi.
The highest concerns are centered squarely on the major metropolitan hubs of Houston and Galveston, where these projected double-digit rain totals could trigger catastrophic flash flooding. Because local soils are already heavily saturated from previous weeks of stormy weather, any additional downpours will immediately turn into dangerous runoff.
8:18 AM ET 4 HRS Ago
Flash flooding on Highway 90 triggers massive San Antonio traffic delays
Flash flooding has overwhelmed US Highway 90 near Cupples Road in the San Antonio area.
Torrential rain has sent high water spilling directly across multiple lanes of the highway, bringing the morning commute to a halt.
Bumper-to-bumper delays are rapidly backing up for miles as eastbound drivers are forced to brake or divert away from the inundated highway.
8:11 AM ET 4 HRS Ago
Flash flooding swamps the Texas Hill Country and major metro areas
The FOX Forecast Center has received multiple reports of water rescues and flash flooding across Texas this morning.
Torrential rain has quickly translated into hazardous conditions on the ground. In the city of Austin, just under two dozen low-water crossings have already been closed to traffic due to rising waters.
The intensity of the deluge is further evidenced by Shoal Creek at 12th Street, which rapidly rose to a crest near 9 feet.
Farther south, the situation is equally critical as heavy downpours inundate the San Antonio area.
A trained spotter reports water is covering all four lanes of US Highway 90 at Cupples Road, severely impacting travel.
The flooding has turned life-threatening in Helotes, located on the northwest side of San Antonio, where numerous stranded vehicles and active water rescues are currently ongoing.
8:01 AM ET 5 HRS AgoDeveloping Story
Deep South faces days of potentially catastrophic flooding from a firehose of tropical moisture
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The FOX Forecast Center is tracking an escalating and highly dangerous weather setup that places millions of residents across the Deep South at risk for widespread, locally catastrophic flash flooding this workweek.
Confidence continues to grow that a relentless firehose of moisture will soak the region through at least Thursday, prompting the issuance of rare Level 3 out of 4 flood threats day after day.
Major metro hubs including Houston, Corpus Christi, and Jackson, Mississippi, are all squarely in the crosshairs to face this high-end deluge at some point over the coming days.
The danger is being driven by a combination of atmospheric ingredients acting as a perfect storm for excessive rain.
Deep tropical moisture surging north out of the Gulf is colliding with a strong cold front dropping south. This boundary is expected to stall completely by midweek, creating an ideal tracks for slow-moving, repeating thunderstorms to dump immense amounts of rain over the exact same waterlogged communities.
At the same time, an upper-level area of circulation—packing the atmospheric remnants of former Eastern Pacific Tropical Storm Cristina—is moving out of Mexico and tapping into near-record atmospheric moisture levels.
Even if this broad area of low pressure never achieves official tropical storm status in the northwestern Gulf, FOX Weather meteorologists stress that the severe flooding threat remains identical.
Saturated soils from previous weeks of rain mean that immediate runoff is a certainty.
Flood Watches already blanket virtually all of South Texas, the middle and upper Texas coasts, the entire state of Louisiana, and western Mississippi.
The Houston Metro alone faces a staggering three consecutive days under a Level 3 out of 4 flood risk beginning Monday.