A large tornado struck Enid, Oklahoma, during the evening hours of April 23, 2026, causing significant structural damage, downing power infrastructure, and prompting search-and-rescue operations across affected neighborhoods. At least 10 people were injured.
The NWS Storm Prediction Center issued Tornado Watch 134 at 17:00 UTC (12:00 CDT) on April 23, 2026, for eastern Nebraska, western and central Iowa, and northwest Missouri as severe thunderstorms began developing and increasing in coverage along a cold front. The watch includes tornado potential, damaging wind gusts up to 110 km/h (70 mph), and large hail up to 6.4 cm (2.5 inches), while a separate Enhanced Risk area across eastern Kansas and northern Oklahoma is expected to produce more intense severe storms later in the afternoon and evening.
Lava fountains rising to 300 m (1 000 feet) and an ash plume reaching 5 000 m (16 500 feet) marked the onset of episode 45 at Kīlauea on April 23, 2026, triggering an ashfall advisory for Kaʻū. Activity remained confined within Halemaʻumaʻu as fountain heights stabilized after an early peak.
A rare tornado event occurred in California after three tornadoes touched down in Fresno and Merced counties on April 21, 2026. This was the third time since 1955 that three or more tornadoes have touched down in the National Weather Service (NWS) Hanford Office’s jurisdiction.
Hundreds of wildfires continued burning across southern Georgia on April 22, 2026, prompting authorities to place 91 counties under a State of Emergency for at least 30 days. The fires have burned more than 14 160 ha (35 000 acres) this month, destroyed dozens of structures, and forced evacuations as drought conditions persist.
Red Flag Warnings are in effect across a broad swath of the Plains, Rockies, and parts of the Upper Midwest on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, as strong winds, very low relative humidity, and dry fuels create critical fire weather conditions. The National Weather Service warns that any fires that start could spread quickly and be hard to control. In some areas, isolated dry thunderstorms may produce lightning with little or no rain, increasing the risk of new fires.
Wildfires driven by drought conditions spread across Georgia, United States, with at least 112 active fires burning approximately 9 164 ha (22 643 acres) as of April 22. The largest blaze, the Pineland Road Fire in Clinch County, reached 6 686 ha (16 516 acres) with 10% containment, while multiple fires continued to expand under dry and windy conditions.
Wind-driven ice shoves struck multiple lakes in Cheboygan County, Michigan, during an ongoing flooding event in April 2026, pushing onshore and into residential structures. The event is unfolding as elevated water levels from snowmelt and recent rainfall continue to drive flooding and evacuations across northern Michigan.
Severe storms are expected to develop from northern Oklahoma into southern Minnesota on April 23, 2026, bringing a risk of large to very large hail and damaging winds. A few tornadoes are possible, primarily during the early stages of storm development, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC).
Amtrak partially suspended rail operations in Florida on April 20, 2026, due to wildfires in Putnam and Clay counties, which have burned approximately 1 093 – 1 214 ha (2 700 – 3 000 acres). Passenger trains were halted as a precaution, including Train 98 from Miami to Jacksonville carrying 232 passengers.
