Between April 28 – May 1, 2017, a series of severe weather events affected the Central United States, producing life-threatening flooding and a major tornado outbreak.

It formed out of a disturbance in the Southwestern United States on April 28, and caused significant impacts, including a heavy snowstorm in the Rockies, and other types of severe weather.

The most significant and damaging events of the storm unfolded late on April 29, when two large, long-tracked, and powerful wedge tornadoes struck areas near Canton, Texas, the strongest being an EF4.

[7] Simultaneously, after deepening slightly to 992 millibars (29.3 inHg), the elongated area of low pressure was producing heavy snowfall in parts of Nebraska and Colorado, including Denver.

Little change occurred over the next six hours as the front moved slightly eastwards; although a squall line was beginning to form, increasing the threat for large hail, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes.

[8] While the overall setup was not favorable for a widespread tornado outbreak, thunderstorms from earlier in the day left behind an outflow boundary draped across northeastern Texas, resulting in a localized area of enhanced low-level helicity.

Deep moisture, high levels of CAPE, and low LCL heights were also present in this area as multiple thunderstorms rode the boundary and dramatically intensified into large tornadic supercells.

A violent EF4 wedge tornado developed near Eustace, Texas and passed west of Canton, leveling homes, debarking numerous trees, and killing two people.

An EF2 tornado also touched down near Log Cabin and dissipated near Eustace, destroying additional homes and a communications tower.

[9] Overnight into the early hours of April 30, the activity pushed eastward and a powerful squall line of severe thunderstorms with numerous embedded tornadic circulations swept through the Mississippi Valley.

[10] Throughout the day, the low tracked northeast into the Plains and intensified, causing some snowfall in the mountainous regions and in colder places, meanwhile severe weather continued to occur in the South.

Tornadoes were not the primary threat; however, and straight line wind gusts up to 85 mph (137 km/h) were reported in parts of Pennsylvania and New York which caused a significant amount of damage in the impacted areas.

Numerous reports of downed trees and power lines were received throughout parts of the Northeastern United States before the event came to an end.

[11] Download coordinates as: This destructive EF3 wedge tornado first touched down about 25 miles to the south of Canton, Texas, at 5:41 pm CDT, before it began moving north towards town.

[106] Several metal self-storage buildings and a restaurant were also heavily damaged in this area, along with the Yesterland Farm amusement park.

[9] The tornado weakened to EF2 strength as it crossed County Road 1106 but was still causing significant damage as it continued northward towards the town of Fruitvale.

By 6:15 pm, the tornado proceeded to strike the western part of Fruitvale, severely damaging homes, downing many trees and power lines, destroying outbuildings, tossing vehicles, and killing farm animals in this area.

"[107][108] According to the NWS, multiple reports of flash flooding had impacted several states, in a range extending from Oklahoma to Missouri.

In addition, multiple water rescues were being carried out in places that had been deluged with heavy rainfall overnight, some areas picking up to 6 inches (15 cm) in only 12 hours.

Officials in Missouri continue to warn about potentially contaminated floodwater and advised residents to avoid the water at all costs.