Communities in the Plains and Midwest were bracing for more severe weather Monday — with the National Weather Service warning those along the Arkansas River of a "dangerous and life threatening situation" with "near catastrophic flooding."
Another apparent tornado ripped through a suburb of Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Sunday morning, not long after an EF-3 tornado killed 2 people and injured 29 more in El Reno as severe weather continues to devastate much of the southern Plains, AP reports.
What's new: The apparent tornado tore down trees and power lines and damaged a few small businesses. There were no reports of fatalities or serious injuries from that storm, but many were still without power in the evening, according to the Sapulpa Police Department's Facebook page. Severe storms and flooding remain a concern across the southern Plains this long weekend.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is about to roll out the new version of its main weather forecasting model next month — but it won't help the agency gain much ground against its international rivals for the title of having the world's most accurate weather model.
Why it matters: Weather forecasting today relies on numerical prediction models that simulate the current and future state of the atmosphere. If the most commonly used computer model is off target during high-impact weather events, it can affect the larger economy and possibly even cost lives.
