May 5, 2026: A high-impact severe weather day across the southern Plains and Mid-South, with tornado, hail, and damaging-wind threats from Texas through Kentucky. The U.S. Geological Survey raises Kīlauea to WATCH as Episode 46 of the summit eruption nears. A late-season winter storm drops up to 30 inches of snow across the Colorado and Wyoming high country, with whiteout conditions on the I-25 corridor. We also cover active wildfires in Florida, New Mexico, and South Dakota, and FEMA’s expanded in-person assistance for Kona Low survivors in Hawaii. EM Morning Brief is your concise daily update on national and state-by-state emergency management news. Produced by Sitch Radio, an EOC Voices podcast.

Key Takeaways

• Mid-South severe weather: Tornado, large hail, and damaging wind risk Tuesday across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, and southern Illinois, with the highest tornado concentration in northeast Texas through northeast Arkansas.

• Kīlauea Episode 46: HVO raised Kīlauea to alert level WATCH and aviation color code ORANGE on May 4; fountaining forecast May 4-7, confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

• Colorado/Wyoming winter storm: Up to 30 inches of snow possible in higher elevations; winter storm warnings in effect; whiteout conditions and dangerous travel along I-25 from Denver to Cheyenne.

• NIFC posture: National Preparedness Level 2 with 20 uncontained large fires; light initial-attack activity nationally per the May 4 IMSR.

• Florida wildfires: Cow Creek Fire south of Bronson and SR 26 Fire east of Gainesville remain active under drought and gusty winds; Highway 41 Fire in Everglades National Park is reported 100 percent contained.

• New Mexico Hummingbird Fire: Active in the Gila Wilderness at approximately 5,650 acres and 21 percent containment.

• South Dakota Plains fires: Route 13 Fire in Ziebach County at ~33,928 acres; 79 Fire in Custer County at ~6,000 acres; Red Flag Warnings posted across the south and west.

• California preparedness: Governor Newsom proclaimed May 3-9 as Wildfire Preparedness Week.

• FEMA Hawaii recovery: In-person disaster assistance available May 4 at Kealakekua and Keaau Armory; June 14 deadline for Individual Assistance.

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Sources

NWS / Storm Prediction Center

• SPC Day 2 Convective Outlook — Tuesday severe weather outlook covering the southern Plains and Mid-South

• SPC Day 1 Convective Outlook — Current-day severe weather outlook

• SPC Active Watches — Severe thunderstorm and tornado watches in effect

NIFC / Wildfire

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report (May 4) — National wildland fire posture, large incidents, and preparedness level

• NIFC National Fire News — National-level wildland fire activity summary

• InciWeb Incident Information — Incident-level updates from federal land management agencies

USGS / Volcano

• USGS Kīlauea Volcano Updates — Hawaiian Volcano Observatory status reports

• HVO Notice — May 4, 2026 — Alert level raised to WATCH and aviation color code to ORANGE for Episode 46 precursory activity

FEMA

• FEMA recovery centers in Hawaii (May 4) — In-person disaster assistance for Kona Low survivors on Hawaii Island

• FEMA Hawaii deadline extension — Individual Assistance application deadline extended to June 14 for Maui, Hawaii, and Honolulu counties

Arkansas

• NWS Little Rock — Severe weather messaging and watches/warnings for Arkansas

California

• Governor Newsom proclamation (May 4) — Wildfire Preparedness Week May 3-9, 2026

• CAL FIRE incidents — Active California fire incident page

Colorado

• Winter storm warnings (May 4) — NWS-issued winter storm warnings across the Colorado mountains and Front Range

• NWS Boulder/Denver — Local NWS office for Colorado weather alerts

Florida

• Highway 41 Fire 100% contained — Everglades National Park incident summary, ~9,149 acres burned

• Florida Forest Service current wildfires — State wildland fire information page for active incidents

Hawaii

• Hawaii News Now (May 4) — In-person Kona Low disaster assistance available on Hawaii Island

• Hawaii DOD Kona Low recovery — State of Hawaii recovery information for the March 2026 Kona Low storms

Illinois

• NWS Chicago — Local severe weather messaging for northern Illinois

Kentucky

• NWS Louisville — Severe weather and flash flood guidance for Kentucky

Mississippi

• NWS Jackson — Severe weather messaging for Mississippi

Missouri

• NWS St. Louis — Severe weather messaging for Missouri

New Mexico

• Hummingbird Fire — InciWeb — Incident page for the active Gila National Forest fire

• NM Fire Info — New Mexico interagency wildfire information

Oklahoma

• NWS Norman — Severe weather messaging for Oklahoma and western north Texas

South Dakota

• SD DPS Wildland Fire — State wildland fire response and Red Flag information

Tennessee

• NWS Memphis — Severe weather messaging for west Tennessee and the Mid-South

Texas

• NWS Fort Worth/Dallas — North Texas severe weather messaging and warnings

Wyoming

• Cheyenne winter storm warning (May 4) — Local reporting on the late-season Wyoming snowstorm

• NWS Cheyenne — Local NWS office for southeastern Wyoming and the Nebraska Panhandle

A multi day severe weather episode is the dominant national story today.

NOAA's Storm Prediction center has flagged Tuesday as a high impact severe weather day across the Southern Plains and mid south with damaging winds, large hail and tornado potential extending from northeastern Texas into northeastern Arkansas including the Memphis to Conway corridor and reaching into portions of Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and southern Illinois.

A slow moving frontal boundary is also producing localized flash flood risk from eastern Tennessee into southern Indiana with rainfall totals of 1 to 4 inches in parts of Kentucky.

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is moving toward episode 46 of its ongoing summit eruption.

Precursory low level activity began at 1:38am HST on May 4 and the U.S. geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory raised the volcano alert level from advisory to watch and the aviation color code from yellow to orange.

The next fountaining episode is forecast between May 4 and May 7 with all eruptive vents and lava flows confined to Halemaumau Crater inside Hawaii Volcanoes national park in the West.

The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings across portions of Colorado and Wyoming for a powerful late season storm forecast.

Totals call for 8 to 12 inches across the northern and central Colorado mountains with 10 to 20 inches in the Front Range, Rocky Mountain national park, the Mosquito Range, Summit county and the Pikes Peak region, and isolated totals approaching 30 inches in the highest terrain.

Wind gusts near 45 mph are expected to produce whiteout conditions along the Interstate 25 corridor from Denver to Cheyenne.

The National Interagency Coordination Center's Monday Incident Management Situation Report keeps the national preparedness level at 2 with 20 uncontained large fires and light initial attack activity.

Official Update published roughly 24 hours ago Lets run through the states Arkansas faces an elevated severe weather threat Tuesday with the Storm Prediction center concentrating tornado potential across the central and northeastern parts of the state, including the Memphis to Conway corridor.

Damaging winds and large hail are also possible.

State and local emergency management offices are advising residents to maintain multiple ways to receive warnings.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on May 4 proclaimed May 3 through May 9 as wildfire preparedness week, calling on Californians to harden homes, prepare go kits and review evacuation plans.

Cal Fire continues to track active incidents and resource posture.

Statewide winter storm warnings are in effect across the northern and central Colorado mountains and the Front Range foothills.

Higher elevations including Rocky Mountain national park and the Pikes Peak region could see 10 to 20 inches with isolated 30 inch totals.

Travel along Interstate 25 from Denver to Cheyenne is expected to be dangerous due to wind driven snow and reduced visibility.

Florida Wildfire activity remains elevated under drought near record heat and gusty winds.

The Florida Forest Service is managing the Cow Creek fire south of Bronson where flanking and creeping fire behavior continues with structures threatened, and the SR 26 fire east of Gainesville.

The Highway 41 fire in Everglades National park has been reported at 100% containment after burning roughly 9,149 acres.

Hawaii Kilauea is in precursory activity for episode 46 of the Summit eruption with the alert level at Watch and the aviation code at Orange.

Separately, FEMA opened in person disaster recovery support on May 4 for residents impacted by the March Kona Lo flooding, including locations at the Kealakekua Branch of the Hawaii State Public Library System and the Keau Armory at Herbert Shipman Park.

The deadline to apply for FEMA individual assistance for Maui, Hawaii and Honolulu counties is June 14.

Illinois Southern and western portions of Illinois are within the Storm Prediction Center's severe thunderstorm risk Tuesday Damaging winds, hail and isolated tornadoes are the primary hazards as a frontal boundary moves through the region.

Kentucky Severe storms are forecast to spread from western Kentucky into central Kentucky through the day Tuesday with damaging winds, hail and an isolated tornado threat.

A slow moving front is also producing a flash flood risk with rainfall totals of 1 to 4 inches possible in parts of the state.

Mississippi Falls within the broader mid south severe weather corridor Tuesday Damaging winds, hail and a tornado threat are possible, particularly in the northern half of the state.

Missouri Storm Prediction Center Messaging Places Eastern and southern Missouri within the Tuesday severe weather threat area.

Damaging winds, hail and an isolated tornado risk are the primary hazards.

State emergency management is encouraging residents to monitor warnings and have multiple receiving methods in place.

New Mexico the Hummingbird Fire on the Gila National Forest located 15 miles east of Glenwood remains active at approximately 5,650 acres with 21% containment, according to the most recent InciWeb posting.

Oklahoma is on alert for severe storms Tuesday, including damaging winds, large hail and a tornado threat across the eastern half of the state.

The Storm Prediction center includes much of central and eastern Oklahoma in the severe weather risk area.

South Dakota Active wildfires continue under critically dry, windy conditions on the Western Plains and in the Black hills.

The Route 13 fire in Ziebac county has burned approximately 33,928 acres after the merger of three fires and the 79 fire near Buffalo Gap in Custer county is at roughly 6,000 acres.

Red Flag conditions and red flag warnings have been posted across portions of southern and western South Dakota.

Tennessee is included in the mid south severe weather risk Tuesday with damaging winds, hail and a tornado threat across the western and central portions of the state.

Localized flash flood risk extends into eastern Tennessee on the slow moving front.

Northern and northeastern Texas are within the highest concentration of Tuesday's severe weather threat, with the Storm Prediction center highlighting damaging winds, large hail and and a tornado risk.

Storms are expected to ramp up through the afternoon and evening before shifting east overnight.

Wyoming Winter storm warnings are in effect for southeastern Wyoming, including Cheyenne and the Snowy range.

Snowfall of 10 to 18 inches is expected above 9,000ft with strong winds producing whiteout conditions and dangerous Travel along Interstate 80 and Interstate 25.

All other states have no significant updates in the last 24 hours.

That wraps today's EM Morning Brief.

New episodes drop Monday through Friday in the 5am hour PT, so the day starts with clarity instead of catch up.

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