Hurricanes and severe storms hit the United States, causing widespread destruction.

Severe storms and a tornado swept through parts of the southern, western, and central United States on Wednesday, April 2, resulting in at least one fatality and causing significant damage including fallen trees, power lines, ripped-off roofs, and debris scattered over long distances. The National Weather Service issued an emergency warning in northeast Arkansas, urging residents to take immediate action through a social media post stating: "This is a life-threatening situation... Seek shelter immediately!" States such as Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi witnessed dozens of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings as the storms hit these areas in the evening. Meteorologists attributed the harsh weather conditions to high temperatures, atmospheric instability, strong winds, and high humidity coming from the Gulf of Mexico. The risk of flash floods in the South and Midwest is expected to increase in the coming days, with thunderstorms forecasted to intensify into severe storms moving eastward. The National Weather Service warned that "severe storms could cause life-threatening floods until Saturday," expecting rainfall amounts exceeding 30 centimeters over the next four days. The meteorological agency described this event as "rare, occurring perhaps only once in a generation or a lifetime," affirming that the rainfall amounts and their impacts could be "historic." According to the Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma, over 90 million people in areas stretching from Texas to Minnesota and Maine are at risk of severe weather in the upcoming period.