Severe Storms and Tornadoes Threaten Midwest on Monday

About 50 million people in the central United States remained under a level 4 out of 5 moderate risk for severe storms on Monday. The area included eastern Kansas, where cities such as Wichita, Topeka, Salina and Manhattan were located. m. CT. Officials said several tornadoes and a few intense tornadoes were likely, along with large hail and damaging wind gusts.

At least 20 tornadoes were reported Sunday across Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Kansas. The rural Nebraska community of St. Libory, just north of Grand Island, appeared to be the hardest hit. At least two homes in St. Libory were destroyed by a suspected tornado that swept through the area Sunday evening, according to Howard County Emergency Management.

There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

Flash flooding was also possible due to heavy thunderstorms.

A flash flood watch was in place from southeast Nebraska through eastern Kansas and through western and central Missouri. Extreme fire weather danger was forecast for Monday from northeast New Mexico across the Texas Panhandle and into southwest Kansas and Oklahoma.

Several wildfires broke out in parts of Minnesota on Saturday and grew rapidly. The largest Minnesota wildfire, the Flanders Fire in Crow Wing County, had burned more than 1,600 acres and was 20 percent contained on Sunday night, according to the Minnesota Incident Command System.

Officials said the Minnesota wildfires prompted a state of emergency declaration on Sunday morning.