Over a dozen deaths have been reported due to a severe weather and tornado outbreak.
At least 16 people have died in severe weather across the South and Midwest, potentially causing violent tornadoes, high winds, thunderstorms, and flash flooding. The dangerous weather comes from a March storm that caused a tornado in Southern California, snow in Sierra Nevada, dangerous road conditions in Texas, and reported tornadoes in the South and Midwest overnight.
Missouri experienced 10 tornado- and storm-related deaths across four counties, with two deaths and more injuries due to a suspected tornado in Bakersfield. Other states reported damage to buildings, a vehicle, and power lines. In Arkansas, three people died and 29 were injured due to a storm system that caused damage across 16 counties overnight. Both states reported damage to trees, power lines, and structures.
A dust storm in the Texas Panhandle resulted in three fatal car crashes, with one involving 38 cars. Mississippi and parts of northern and eastern Louisiana were issued a “particularly dangerous situation” tornado watch, with wind gusts up to 75 mph and several intense tornadoes, along with hail up to 2.5 inches in diameter.
The National Weather Service issued tornado watches for around 2 million people on Saturday, predicting an “outbreak” of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms through Saturday night in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, western Georgia, southern Tennessee, the Florida Panhandle, and southern Arkansas. The most dangerous tornado threat should begin across eastern Louisiana and Mississippi during the late morning to afternoon, spread across Alabama late today into the evening, and reach western parts of the Florida Panhandle and Georgia tonight. The most affected states are Arkansas: 14,138, Illinois: 42,350, Indiana: 35,988, Missouri: 124,481, and Tennessee: 13,958.
Tens-of-thousands of people were without power across several Southern and Midwestern states as suspected tornadoes and strong winds knocked down power lines and poles. The most homes and businesses without power as of Saturday afternoon were in Arkansas: 14,138, Illinois: 42,350, Indiana: 35,988, Missouri: 124,481, and Tennessee: 13,958.
Tornadoes hit Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, and southern Illinois, with 23 preliminary reports of tornadoes by 7 a.m. Missouri officials said early Saturday that a tornado is suspected to have crossed through Bakersfield, which lies at the border with Arkansas.
St. Louis weather service has deployed damage survey teams to areas outside the city, but cannot survey all suspected tornado damage. In Gibson County, Indiana, high winds and thunderstorms caused damage to homes and businesses, with potential tornado knocking down trees and power poles. Please be patient.
Sheriff Bruce Vanoven expressed extensive damage in Gibson County, specifically in Oakland City and rural Francisco, and requested that the public refrain from surveying the storm damage and allow time for their duties.
