Wave of dangerous storms tear through the South, claiming lives and causing severe damage

Published: 09 May 2024 at 09:34

Weather

Meteorologists have warned of dangerous storms in the South following killer tornados in Tennessee and North Carolina. Tornado warnings were issued in North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and Kentucky, with Arkansas and Mississippi under tornado watch. The storms brought high winds, large hailstones, and heavy rain, toppling trees, damaging homes, and causing two fatalities in Tennessee. Homes were damaged and people injured in Maury County, where a likely tornado touched down.

DEEP DIVE

High Risk: Tornado Outbreak and Severe Weather Conditions Expected in Central U.S.

Forecasters issued dire warnings for a significant tornado outbreak in the central U.S., impacting millions from Texas to the Dakotas. 18 million people are at risk for severe storms with possible tornadoes, 80-mph wind gusts, flooding, and hail. Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, Nebraska, and Oklahoma brace for dangerous conditions. Areas like North Texas, South Dakota, Illinois, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Wichita, Omaha, Kansas City, and Des Moines are at high risk. Texas faces heavy flooding, with Gov. Greg Abbott confirming three deaths due to the severe weather. Forecasters also predict stormy weather in areas like Indianapolis, Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis, and Cincinnati later in the week.

Severe Weather and Flash Flooding Expected in Central US Following Tornado Outbreaks

The central U S is bracing for another day of severe weather and flash flooding on Sunday after deadly tornado outbreaks in Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Iowa since Friday. Showers and thunderstorms are moving slowly eastward, with Flash Flood Warnings issued in parts of North Texas, eastern Kansas, and western Missouri. Severe thunderstorms are expected in East Texas, western Louisiana, Arkansas, and southwestern Missouri, posing a threat of damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes. In total, over 41 million people are at risk of severe weather. Flash flooding is also a concern in eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and the lower and mid-Mississippi Valley.

Multiple Buildings Damaged and Dozens Trapped in Michigan FedEx Facility Due to Tornadoes

Severe weather and tornadoes caused extensive damage to buildings in Michigan, including a FedEx facility where 50 people were trapped but escaped without serious injuries. Other areas affected by storms in central and midwestern US include Illinois, Arkansas, Ohio, and West Virginia. Survivors from a barber shop in Portage, Michigan, described a terrifying tornado experience with the roof torn off and employees trapped. The tornado also hit a nearby FedEx building, but no serious injuries were reported. Mobile homes in a park also suffered significant damage during the storm.

Severe Hailstorm Causes Havoc in Missouri and Kansas

A fierce hailstorm with baseball-sized hail wreaked havoc across Missouri and Kansas, damaging residences, nearly 500 vehicles, and a Ford dealership with shattered windscreens and dented hoods. Some hail was as large as softball or baseballs, prompting warnings to stay indoors. The storm also unleashed possible tornadoes, leading to traffic standstills along Interstate 70. Fortunately, despite reports of damaged structures, there were no injuries. Meteorologists continue to evaluate the damage, while the forecast warns of heavy rain and high winds in the region.

Arctic blast aftermath: temperatures rise, but flooding threats remain

Temperatures are beginning to warm up across the United States after an Arctic blast that caused over 80 deaths, but the threat of heavy rain and flooding remains. Meteorologists warn of showers, fog, and the possibility of ice accumulation on slick surfaces, which may complicate the morning commute. Over 120 million Americans were under winter weather alerts, and weather-related deaths surged in Tennessee and Oregon. While a thaw is expected in many parts of the country, the warming temperatures could lead to ice-related problems in the southern Plains and parts of the Mississippi Valley.

Flood watch in effect for parts of southeastern Texas, including Houston

A flood watch is ongoing in southeastern Texas, covering over 100 square miles, including Houston, with forecasts of several more inches of rainfall. More than 2 million people in Houston are affected, with hundreds of water rescues already conducted. Meteorologists warn of further rainfall and thunderstorms with potential for 1 to 8 inches of additional rainfall. No deaths or injuries have been reported so far, with over 400 people rescued from flooded areas.

Tennessee (Wikipedia)

Tennessee ( TEN-iss-EE, locally TEN-iss-ee), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, Arkansas to the southwest, and Missouri to the northwest. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. Tennessee is geographically, culturally, and legally divided into three Grand Divisions of East, Middle, and West Tennessee. Nashville is the state's capital and largest city, and anchors its largest metropolitan area. Other major cities include Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Clarksville. Tennessee's population as of the 2020 United States census is approximately 6.9 million.Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association, a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachian Mountains. Its name derives from Tanasi (ᏔᎾᏏ), a Cherokee town in the eastern part of the state that existed before the first European American settlement. Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina, and later the Southwest Territory, before its admission to the Union as the 16th state on June 1, 1796. It earned the nickname "The Volunteer State" early in its history due to a strong tradition of military service. A slave state until the American Civil War, Tennessee was politically divided, with its western and middle parts supporting the Confederacy and the eastern region harboring pro-Union sentiment. As a result, Tennessee was the last state to secede and the first readmitted to the Union after the war.During the 20th century, Tennessee transitioned from a predominantly agrarian society to a more diversified economy. This was aided in part by massive federal investment in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the city of Oak Ridge, which was established during World War II to house the Manhattan Project's uranium enrichment facilities for the construction of the world's first atomic bombs. After the war, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory became a key center of scientific research. In 2016, the element tennessine was named for the state, largely in recognition of the roles played by Oak Ridge, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Tennessee in its discovery. Tennessee has also played a major role in the development of many forms of popular music, including country, blues, rock and roll, soul, and gospel.Tennessee has diverse terrain and landforms, and from east to west, contains a mix of cultural features characteristic of Appalachia, the Upland South, and the Deep South. The Blue Ridge Mountains along the eastern border reach some of the highest elevations in eastern North America, and the Cumberland Plateau contains many scenic valleys and waterfalls. The central part of the state is marked by cavernous bedrock and irregular rolling hills, and level, fertile plains define West Tennessee. The state is twice bisected by the Tennessee River, and the Mississippi River forms its western border. Its economy is dominated by the health care, music, finance, automotive, chemical, electronics, and tourism sectors, and cattle, soybeans, corn, poultry, and cotton are its primary agricultural products. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation's most visited national park, is in eastern Tennessee.