Southern Mississippi is facing an onslaught of tornadic storms as wave after wave of spinning thunderstorms are producing numerous tornadoes that are impacting the same locations multiple times.
Taylorsville, a small town in southern Mississippi’s Smith County, is currently under its third separate tornado warning in as many hours. Both of the previous warnings resulted in damage from likely tornadoes, though they will need to be reviewed and confirmed by the National Weather Service.
Previous tornado warnings indicated that separate tornadoes would hit Taylorsville at 1:55 p.m. CT and 2:40 p.m. CT.
Now, a third tornado warning is covering the town, and “a large and extremely dangerous tornado was located near Improve, or 12 miles northeast of Columbia, moving northeast at 60 mph,” according to the NWS in Jackson.
This tornado is likely to pass just south of Taylorsville, near the town of Soso, around 3:30 pm.
Smith County has faced at least five separate tornado warnings over the past 3 hours, and a tornado watch covers the area until at least 6 p.m. local time.
Authorities are working to assess damage and clear debris as severe weather sweeps through Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana.
In the town of Kentwood, about 30 homes were damaged, a public information officer for the parish told CNN.
Downed trees and power lines have also been observed. No injuries have been reported at this time, but one person had to be rescued from their damaged home.
A response team of more than 20 people is working to survey damage, clear roads of debris and help residents get to a safe location as the storm continues.
A tornado survey team in Cave City, Arkansas, has found damage “consistent with winds of 165 mph,” the National Weather Service in Little Rock said Saturday. “This is the very top of the EF3 scale.”
Tornadoes of EF3 strength produce severe damage, uprooting nearly all trees in their path, blowing over large vehicles like trains and buses and significantly damaging buildings. Fewer than 5% of all tornadoes are rated EF3 or higher.
At least three people died and 32 were injured due to severe weather in Arkansas overnight, according to the state’s Division of Emergency Management. Injuries were reported in eight counties and damage has been reported in 16 counties.
The deaths were reported in Independence County, in the northern part of the state, but emergency management officials did not share further details. Cave City is located in both Independence and Sharp counties.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency Saturday “in response to the extensive damage and power outages,” the emergency management division said. It will remain in effect until March 29.
More than 3 million people in parts of Alabama are under a tornado watch, with the Storm Prediction Center labeling it a “particularly dangerous situation” – a rare designation indicating the possibility of exceptionally strong storms and tornadoes.
The watch includes much of Alabama, including Huntsville, Birmingham and Montgomery.
“A tornado outbreak with multiple intense to violent long-track tornadoes is likely,” the SPC warned. “Numerous strong long-track tornadoes are likely, along with very large hail and damaging winds.”
Tornadoes of EF3 intensity or higher are possible with maximum winds between 155 and 190 mph, damaging wind gusts of hurricane force and hail as large as baseballs.
Violent tornadoes are EF4 or stronger. Only 1% of all tornadoes get this strong, but they account for an outsized 66% of all tornado deaths, according to the SPC. Long-track tornadoes spend more time on the ground, increasing the potential for destruction.
Storms overnight have left destruction across Missouri, with several buildings and utility poles damaged, according to images shared by Missouri State Highway Patrol Saturday.
Storm damage was seen in Kennett, Perryville and Villa Ridge, according to high patrol.
“The Patrol and local agencies are working to assist those in need and assess the damage. We urge residents to stay away from debris-filled areas, watch for downed power lines, and follow regional emergency services for localized updates.”
Drone footage shows storm damage in Florissant, Missouri, where local police reported “significant damage to homes and property.”
A tornado watch is in effect for 2.5 million people in parts of Middle Tennessee – including Nashville – until 9 p.m. CT, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
“Several tornadoes and a couple intense tornadoes likely, along with widespread damaging winds and isolated significant gusts to 75 mph likely and scattered large hail and isolated very large hail up to 2 inches in diameter are possible,“ the SPC warned.
A line of thunderstorms spreading east and northeastward across middle Tennessee this afternoon and evening will contain damaging winds up to 60-75 mph and several tornadoes as the environment becomes increasingly favorable for severe thunderstorms.
A rapidly intensifying tornado is on the ground in southern Mississippi, with local radar from the National Weather Service indicating it is tossing debris more than 25,000 feet in the air (or nearly 5 miles high). A tornado emergency, the highest level of tornado warning, was in place for the storm, indicating a catastrophic threat to numerous towns, including Bassfield and Prentiss, Mississippi.
“An intense to potentially violent tornado is ongoing across Walthall County, MS and is expected to continue northeast,” the Storm Prediction Center said just before 1 p.m. CT.
What this means: Tornadoes are labeled as violent when they are capable of producing EF4 and EF5 damage, the highest on the scale. Violent tornadoes make up less than 1% of all tornadoes, but they account for two-thirds of all tornado-related fatalities, research has shown.
The storm is moving into the highest-risk area and “will likely be unimpeded as it moves northeast through the afternoon. Therefore, this tornado may persist for quite awhile at intense to violent intensity,” according to the weather service.
The tornado is now located near the city of Collins, about 60 miles southeast of Jackson.
The governors of both Oklahoma and Georgia have declared states of emergency due to the sweeping storm that has sparked wildfires in the Sooner State and threatens to spawn tornadoes in the Peach State.
In Oklahoma: Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order Saturday morning declaring a state of emergency in 12 counties due to “dangerous wildfires and straight-line winds,” that began Friday and have burned around 170,000 acres and destroyed nearly 300 structures.
“On a personal level, I lost where I have a little farm north of Luther. I lost my home at my farmhouse,” Stitt shared. “So really, this kind of stuff hits close to home.”
Aid crews from Louisiana and Arkansas are arriving in Oklahoma to help extinguish the fires over the weekend, the governor said.
The wildfires and winds caused widespread power outages, leaving 14,000 customers without power as of Saturday morning, according to Stitt.
In Georgia: Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on Saturday ahead of “severe and potentially damaging weather” expected to hit the state in the evening.
“This storm will hit at the worst possible time, as people are heading to or already in bed,” Kemp said in a release from his office.
“Given the uncertainty of this storm and the fact it will move through Georgia overnight, individuals and families should prepare now and make plans to stay safe,” he added.
Severe weather is expected to hit much of the Southeast Saturday evening, with the main threats being tornadoes, damaging winds, and possible hail, Kemp’s office said.
Another round of severe thunderstorms has fired up on Saturday, igniting what will likely be an even more dangerous tornado outbreak than Friday’s.
“Numerous significant tornadoes” are expected Saturday into Sunday morning across the Deep South, according to the Storm Prediction Center, which issued a rare level 5 of 5 high risk for severe thunderstorms for the day in Alabama and Mississippi.
This is the first high risk issued for severe thunderstorms since last May and only the fifth in the past five years, signaling unusual confidence that Saturday could be a devastating day.
It’s also because the number of tornadoes isn’t the only concern. Those that form could be unusually strong and long-lasting, increasing the risk for destruction and deaths.
At least 11 people have been reported dead in Missouri following a tornado outbreak across the state Friday and overnight into Saturday.
Six deaths were reported in Wayne County as of Saturday morning, according to Wayne County emergency manager Waylon Freeze and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Three people were killed at one campground in the county, while two others were killed at a second campground, after a camper ended up in a river. Additionally, one person was killed at the River Valley Campground near the Bollinger County line, according to Sgt. Clark Parrott with Missouri Highway Patrol Troop E.
Missouri Highway Patrol reported one fatality in Jefferson County.
Three fatalities were previously reported in Ozark County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. In Butler County, a tornado struck Poplar Bluff, killing one person and injuring several others, Butler County Emergency Management Director Robbie Myers told CNN.
In Texas: At least three people died Friday in vehicle collisions in Texas, when heavy winds generated severe dust storms and reduced visibility, according to local authorities.
Two of those fatalities were reported in separate collisions in Parmer County, in the southwestern Texas Panhandle, Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Cindy Barkley told CNN Friday evening. Another driver died in a crash on Interstate 40 in Gray County, she said.
In Arkansas: At least three people died and 29 were injured due to severe weather in Arkansas overnight as the cross-country storm system moved through the state.
The deaths were reported in Independence County, in the northern part of the state, and injuries were reported in eight counties. The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) reported damage in sixteen counties.
