The FOX Forecast Center is tracking the potential for severe weather across the central and southern Plains on Wednesday afternoon that is putting millions of people at risk of seeing possible tornadoes, large hail and damaging wind gusts.
Thunderstorms are expected to begin firing up across the central Plains in the areas of Colorado and Wyoming on Wednesday afternoon.
The SPC highlighted a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe weather on its severe thunderstorm risk category scale, which includes Cheyenne in Wyoming, Scottsbluff in Nebraska and Denver, Sterling and Limon in Colorado.
Because of the risk of severe weather, Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Watches were issued for several areas of the central Plains.
The Tornado Watch, which is highlighted in red, extends from eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska into portions of northeastern Colorado until 8 p.m. MDT.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch, which is highlighted in yellow, was issued for portions of north-central Colorado and includes the cities of Fort Collins and Denver. The Severe Thunderstorm Watch is also in effect until 8 p.m. MDT.
Any severe thunderstorms that do develop during the afternoon into the early evening hours on Wednesday could produce tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and large hail.
As Wednesday evening progresses, the FOX Forecast Center expects storms will fire up across portions of the Texas Panhandle and in western Oklahoma.
A surging dryline will be the focus for the potential development of supercell thunderstorms, which will have the potential of producing large hail, destructive wind gusts and some tornadoes.