St. Louis preparing as more storms could come to devastated area: See forecast
People in the path of the oncoming storm should prepare for tornadoes, damaging hail and flash flooding.
St. Louis officials are warning residents about incoming weather that could impact areas devastated by recent storms that have swept through the region.
Over two dozen people are dead and over 194,000 are still without power as states in the Midwest and southeast are forecasted to get slammed by another batch of severe storms, according to AccuWeather.
"If you have not been impacted by this storm, we ask you to prepare," Sarah Russell, the commissioner of the St. Louis Emergency Management Agency, said at a press conference on Sunday, May 18. "If you have been impacted by this storm, you have some additional things you need to think about with preparedness."
Russell said anyone in the city of St. Louis can sign up for NotifySTL, a system that sends notifications via phone, text or email to residents, businesses and visitors in the city in the event of an emergency.
Signing up is "critically important," Russell said. "That is one of the most thorough ways we have to reach people in the city."
St. Louis officials ask residents to seek safe shelter ahead of coming storms
Anyone who suspects their home will not be safe to stay in during the storm is asked to seek shelter elsewhere, according to Russell. People should take shelter at a local church, at the home of a friend or family member or an evacuation shelter.
During the May 18 press conference, an official from the Red Cross announced that the Red Cross shelter located at the Grace United Methodist Church is full. But, according to the city's website, two other shelters are open with capacity:
- The 12th & Park Recreation Center: 1410 S. Tucker Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri, 63104
- Friendly Temple Outreach Center: 6356 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, St. Louis, Missouri, 63133
Power outage map: Over 120,000 remain without power
As of 2 p.m. ET May 18, Missouri has 44,920 customers without power, according to Paste BN's power outage tracker. In total, over 128,000 customers are without power across Missouri, Michigan, Alabama and Kentucky.
Severe storms forecasted for Monday and Tuesday
Tornadoes and floods could threaten dozens of states across the country, according to AccuWeather's forecast. There was also a high risk of severe weather issued the afternoon of Sunday, May 18 for parts of Oklahoma and Kansas.
Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop through Sunday night, and winds from the weather pattern will shift eastward early in the week.
"Travelers across the region should remain alert for hazards such as debris on roadways, downed power lines, damaging hail and flooded areas over the coming days," according to AccuWeather.
States across the central U.S. are forecasted to experience the following, according to AccuWeather:
- Tornadoes
- Damaging hail
- Flash flooding
According to AccuWeather, storms may impact New Orleans, northern Florida, parts of the Carolinas and Washington, D.C.
Julia is a trending reporter for Paste BN. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com