Ammon News - About 50 million people in America's Heartland were in the storm zone on Monday, bracing for another day of destructive thunderstorms and tornadoes.

A level 4 out of 5 moderate risk for severe storms was in place across eastern Kansas, including the cities of Wichita, Topeka, Salina and Manhattan.

The new threat of twisters tearing through the Heartland comes a day after 20 tornadoes were reported in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Kansas.

The rural Nebraska community of St. Libory, just north of Grand Island, appeared to be the hardest hit in the region on Sunday.

At least two homes in St. Libory were destroyed by a suspected tornado that swept through the community on Sunday evening, according to Howard County Emergency Management.

There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

Full-time storm chaser Sierra Lindsey posted video on social media of a massive twister cutting across farmland and Highway 281 north of St. Libory on Sunday afternoon.

Severe weather spreading across the Heartland is expected to produce more funnel clouds on Monday afternoon.

A Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Tornado Watch was issued Monday afternoon for parts of Kansas and southeastern Nebraska until 8 p.m. CT. Several tornadoes and a few intense tornadoes are likely in this region, along with large hail and damaging wind gusts.

Storms are expected to fire up Monday afternoon and move across the PDS watch area. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center said rapid supercell development is likely.

Residents from Oklahoma to Iowa, including the cities of Kansas City, Omaha, Lincoln and Des Moines, are also being advised to stay alert for twisters.

Flash flooding is also possible due to heavy thunderstorms. A flash flood watch is in place from southeast Nebraska through eastern Kansas and through western and central Missouri.

Storms are expected to start popping up sometime after 2 p.m. CT and will likely grow exponentially once underway.

Flash flooding is also possible in parts of the Heartland due to training thunderstorms, or storms that continue to develop and dump rain over the same area in a relatively short amount of time. A flash flood watch is in place from southeast Nebraska to eastern Kansas and through western and central Missouri.

On Tuesday, a level 2 of 5 risk for severe storms will be in place from Texas to Vermont.


ABC