More people died Saturday as dangerous storms and tornadoes hit the South.
As night falls, the risk grows. Forecasters warn that millions in the South should stay alert for tornadoes, strong winds, and thunderstorms. So far, over a dozen people have died, and that number may rise with wildfire and traffic deaths.
Over 8.3 million people, mainly in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, were warned about possible tornadoes Saturday night. Strong wind warnings stretched from Michigan to Florida, affecting over 100 million people.
The dangerous weather is caused by a huge March storm moving across the country overnight. It created a tornado in Southern California, dropped snow on the Sierra Nevada, made roads dangerous in Texas, and brought tornadoes to the South and Midwest.
The storm is moving toward the East Coast and will bring rain and thunderstorms on Sunday from the Great Lakes to the Northeast and Southeast. Forecasters say there is a small chance of tornadoes and strong winds in the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic.
Tornado Watches Issued: See National Weather Map
Tornadoes Sweep Across Multiple States As Severe Weather Death Toll RisesDeaths Toll From Severe Weather Grows Saturday
Eleven people died in Missouri because of tornadoes and storms, state officials said Saturday morning. A suspected tornado hit the Bakersfield area in southern Missouri, killing two people and injuring others. Photos on social media show damaged buildings and a wrecked car. In other parts of the state, trees and power lines fell, and buildings were damaged.
"It was unrecognizable as a home. Just a debris field," said Coroner Jim Akers of Butler County about the home of a man who died. "The floor was upside down. We were walking on walls."
In Arkansas, three people died and 29 were hurt when storms hit 16 counties overnight, state officials said.
On Friday in the Texas Panhandle, a dust storm caused car crashes that killed three people, according to NBC News and the Associated Press. One crash involved 38 cars.
In Oklahoma, another person died in a car accident after driving into thick smoke from wildfires. Strong winds started the fires, leading officials to declare an emergency in several counties, KRMG reported.
Tornadoes Were Reported In Mississippi, Louisiana, And Arkansas
The National Weather Service recorded several possible tornadoes across the South on Saturday and warned that the danger was not over yet.
Three possible tornadoes hit Mississippi, damaging homes, power lines, and a trailer park. Another tornado in Louisiana on Saturday afternoon damaged buildings and blocked roads. In Arkansas, a likely EF-3 tornado had winds up to 140 mph.
"Seek shelter immediately!!!" the weather service in Jackson warned on social media about a "large and dangerous" tornado moving toward Marion, Lawrence, Jefferson, and Davis counties on Saturday afternoon.
'Particularly Dangerous Situation' Warning Issued
Most of Mississippi and parts of northern and eastern Louisiana were under a rare "particularly dangerous situation" (PDS) tornado watch on Saturday. Forecasters warned that wind gusts could reach 75 mph, with several strong tornadoes and hail as large as 2.5 inches expected.
"Numerous strong long-track tornadoes are likely, along with very large hail and damaging winds," the National Weather Service said.
A PDS warning is only given when "long-lived, strong and violent tornadoes are possible."
The warning will last until 8 p.m. CST.
Thousands Lose Power
On Saturday, thousands of people in the South and Midwest lost power after strong winds and possible tornadoes knocked down power lines and poles.
Here are the states with the most homes and businesses without power as of Saturday evening:
- Arkansas: 8,767
- Illinois: 18,282
- Indiana: 11,846
- Louisiana: 5,094
- Mississippi: 25,563
- Missouri: 80,040
- Tennessee: 13,152
Where Did Tornadoes Hit Friday Night?
By 7 a.m., there were 23 early reports of tornadoes in Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, and southern Illinois, according to meteorologist Mike Youman from AccuWeather.
Officials in Missouri said a tornado likely hit Bakersfield, a town near the Arkansas border, early Saturday.
The weather service in St. Louis said it has started sending teams to check storm damage outside the city. "There is NO way we will be able to survey all the suspected tornado damage today so please be patient."
In Gibson County, Indiana, strong winds, thunderstorms, and a possible tornado knocked down trees and power poles and damaged homes and businesses, according to the Evansville Courier & Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Sheriff Bruce Vanoven said, "We have extensive damage in Gibson County around the Oakland City area and the rural Francisco area,"
He urged people to stay away, saying, "I implore you, I beg you, please do not come out and survey the storm damage. Give us time to do our jobs."
How To Stay Safe During A Tornado
People in the South should pay close attention to weather warnings on Saturday, the National Weather Service said. If a tornado warning is issued for your area, go to the strongest building or shelter you can find right away.
The safest places to go are tornado shelters or special FEMA safe rooms if you can get to one. If not, a basement or an inside room in a strong building is a good choice.
Places that are not safe include big open rooms like gyms, mobile homes, cars, or under a highway overpass.
Inside your home, try to stay in a room with as many walls as possible between you and the outside. If your home has an open layout, a bathroom or closet is a good choice. Stay away from windows.
To stay safe, wear a sports or bicycle helmet, cover yourself with a heavy blanket, and wear hard-soled shoes, the Birmingham Weather Service said.
Keep your phone charged and close to you. If you have pets, have a leash or carrier ready.
'Very Scary Situation': Tornado Outbreak Expected Saturday
Tornadoes and severe storms are expected 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 National Weather Service said.
Weather experts in Birmingham said they look at things like wind strength, how unstable the air is, and how high the clouds are to predict tornadoes.
"Every single parameter is there Saturday afternoon. Every single one," the weather service there said. "This will be a very scary situation for many… Please take this seriously and please do what you can. Please be safe."
