Destructive tornado hits Oklahoma as pattern shift brings back-to-back days of severe weather threats

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(CNN) — Multiple tornadoes roared through the Central United States Thursday, including a powerful twister that caused significant damage and multiple injuries in Oklahoma — the start of a dangerous multi-day stretch of severe thunderstorms for the region.

Thursday was the first of at least five consecutive days of considerable severe thunderstorm risks.

Tornado threats of varying levels are in place each day through Monday, as are risks for damaging straight-line wind gusts and hail.

Enid takes a direct hit from powerful tornado

A large and slow-moving powerful tornado tracked through Enid, Oklahoma, Thursday evening, triggering a rare tornado emergency — the National Weather Service’s most urgent type of tornado warning. Enid is about 65 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.

Video from CNN affiliate KOCO shows major structural damage, overturned vehicles and widespread debris on the southeast side of the city after the tornado was active for more than 30 minutes.

At least 10 people were found with injuries, which are believed to be minor, according to Garfield County emergency management, KOCO reported. CNN has reached out for additional details.

Search and rescue operations were ongoing overnight as crews assessed damage and responded to impacted neighborhoods, including the Gray Ridge community and Vance Air Force Base. Officials at the base are working to account for all personnel and access the damage from the tornado, a spokesperson told CNN.

“Due to ongoing power and water restoration efforts, Vance Air Force Base is closed until further notice,” the base posted on Facebook.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said he spoke with Enid’s local leaders and will continue working with them as they assess damage and identify needs.

“Please join me in praying for the Enid community, which has been severely impacted by tonight’s tornado,” Stitt said in a statement on X.

More thunderstorms moved through Enid about an hour after the tornado dissipated, with heavy rain and gusty winds complicating search and rescue efforts. A flash flood warning was in effect for the city at one point after the tornado.

Days of severe storms to come

The shift in the weather pattern that sparked Thursday night’s storms will keep the threat level elevated for damaging wind gusts, hail and tornadoes in the central US into early next week. Sunday and Monday have the potential to be the most potent days of the stretch, but the forecast hinges on key details.

Friday’s threat level is lower than Thursday’s and will consolidate mainly over the lower Mississippi Valley, where a Level 2 of 5 risk is in place. Hail and damaging wind gusts are forecast to be the main threats with any storms that develop from late Friday afternoon into Friday night, but a few tornadoes are possible too.

A Level 3 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms is in place Saturday, mainly in Kansas and Oklahoma, including parts of the Oklahoma City metro and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Damaging wind gusts and very large hail — potentially bigger than golfballs — will be the main threats with any storm Saturday, but a few tornadoes are possible.

Saturday’s storms will also likely bubble up in the late afternoon or evening. Thunderstorms will likely develop first in parts of western Kansas and Oklahoma before moving east and intensifying Saturday night.

The forecast gets trickier starting Sunday: There’s lower confidence that storms will be able to form, but any that do could be very dangerous, and a Level 3 of 5 risk is in place, mainly centered on Kansas.

There will be plenty of fuel for storms to tap into and explode in strength, but any storms will need a little nudge of energy to start developing in the first place. If that nudge arrives, powerful thunderstorms could fire up late Sunday afternoon or early in the evening and potentially become supercells — though they still likely won’t be widespread. Damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes would all be possible.

But if that nudge never happens, a lot of that atmospheric energy will remain untapped and could help fuel a bigger threat Monday.

Partly because of that chance, a Level 3 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms is in place Monday from parts of Iowa and Wisconsin to Arkansas and Tennessee.

Monday’s storm threats depend heavily on what unfolds on Sunday, so exactly how powerful storms could become and what areas they could hit will come into better focus as the weekend progresses. Regardless, the entire area should prepare for potential damaging wind gusts, hail and tornadoes — potentially ones that could produce EF2 damage or greater.

More days of severe thunderstorms could follow into mid-week, but any activity will again be tied to what happens on Sunday and Monday.

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