Wild weather expected Wednesday gets a rare ‘high-risk’ designation – the most severe category

ATLANTA (AP) — Weather forecasters are using a relatively rare “high-risk” designation to warn that a major tornado outbreak appears likely Wednesday (April 2, 2025). It’s the highest category they use. The high-risk area is home to about 2.5 million people. It includes parts of west Tennessee including Memphis; northeast Arkansas; the southeast corner of Missouri; and parts of western Kentucky and southern Illinois. The national Storm Prediction Center says multiple strong tornadoes appear likely Wednesday afternoon and into the evening. Historically, the “high-risk” designation has been used sparingly, but it has been used a few times in recent years.