Tornado Watch issued for parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas amid severe weather

A Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of Oklahoma after the Plains reported thunderstorms and winds as destructive as a Category 2 hurricane on Sunday evening. Hail and blinding dust storms are also expected in the region along. A Tornado Watch was also issued for Texas where in Memphis, the National Weather Service reported, a 114 mph wind gust and golf-ball-sized hail. The wind gust was so strong that it even blew away windows in some towns. The Tornado Watch in Oklahoma also covers Tulsa.

In Kansas, a tornado destroyed a home in Liberal, toppling trees and power lines Sunday afternoon on the way according to the National Weather Service. A rare prediction was made for the area where the Storm Prediction Center meteorologists forecast the storms could reach derecho status.

Wind gusts of 70 mph were reported from Amarillo and El Paso in Texas, injuring one in El Paso County's Fort Bliss, according to a National Weather Service storm report. "A remarkable, perhaps historic storm system, is currently approaching our forecast area," National Weather Service forecasters in Norman, Oklahoma, forecasted. Leaning power poles led to the closure of an exit at Interstate 10 in Fort Bliss. The wing gusts recorded in El Paso are the seventh strongest in its history since the late 19th century.

"A derecho is forecast with widespread damaging winds and embedded swaths of significant severe gusts from 80-110 mph, centered on parts of Oklahoma this evening into tonight," the SPC wrote. "Embedded tornadoes are anticipated as well, with the greatest potential for strong (EF2-EF3) tornadoes across southwest Oklahoma this evening."

The Tornado Watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for parts of Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas until 9 pm local time. A huge chunk of Kansas is also under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 8 pm. The weather advisory covers more than 10 million people from parts of Texas through Missouri.

(With inputs from agencies)

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