Twisters were spotted in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Arizona, according to multiple media reports. An area stretching from Tulsa to Wichita Falls, Texas remained under tornado watch until 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, officials said.
Many of the sightings came in low-population areas, but Oklahoma residents were nervous Monday because it was the sixth anniversary of the Moore tornado that left 24 people dead.
The National Weather Service had previously issued a "high risk" tornado warning for two million people in parts of Oklahoma and Texas.
"I'd certainly label this 'the nightmare scenario,'" meteorologist Mike Smith tweeted on Sunday.
Storm expert Roger Edwards wrote on social media Monday that "this is the rare kind of event that may take many lives. Pray I'm wrong."
One of Monday's twisters hit the Oklahoma town of Mangum. The high school agriculture barn was destroyed, but the livestock survived.
"The pigs are walking around wondering what happened to their house," said Glynadee Edwards, the Greer County emergency management director.
Motorist James Clendenin said he was driving near Pittsburg, Kansas, when a tornado hit nearby.
"All of a sudden I saw some swirling rain come toward me," he told TV station KSN. "It just got so intense. It was like somebody threw white out all over my windows. I couldn't see. The wind was rocking the vehicle and kind of lifted us up a little bit, at least, that's what it felt like."
Multiple school districts in Oklahoma canceled classes with wind gusts of up to 80 mph expected. A flood watch was in effect for the greater Oklahoma City region. Some school districts in Texas sent students home early.
The storms on Monday followed a series of tornadoes in the Southern Plains on Friday and Saturday.
The main severe thunderstorm threat on Tuesday will be over Missouri and northern Arkansas, according to the Storm Prediction Center website.
"Motorists should consider fully exiting major highways as storms approach and never attempt to drive through flooded roadways," said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
With News Wire Services
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