Severe storms sweep across US, leaving at least 3 dead in Texas
A sprawling storm system crossing the U.S. on Friday caused deadly crashes, damaged buildings and fanned more than 100 wildfires in several central states, prompting evacuation orders in some communities.
More than a dozen tornadoes touched down in Missouri and Arkansas, and threats of more loomed for the Mississippi Valley into the night and the Deep South on Saturday, News.Az reports, citing CBS News.
The Texas Department of Public Safety reported three deaths Friday in three separate car crashes due to the low visibility, high winds and dirt. The department said there were around 24 crashes Friday.
In central Missouri, the Phelps County Sheriff's Department told CBS News that it was responding to "reports of homes damaged from falling trees, numerous power lines down, and vehicles damaged from flying debris" following a possible tornado that tore through the town of Rolla. Fire crews were also responding to an overturned big-rig. It was unclear if there were any injuries.
Late Friday night, the National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes had touched down on the ground just west of metropolitan St. Louis and were heading towards the city. St. Charles County had issued outdoor tornado sirens.
Nearly 150 fires were reported in Oklahoma, Andy James, Oklahoma Forestry Services fire management chief, told KOCO-TV. Oklahoma Highway Patrol said on social media that dusty winds toppled several tractor-trailers.
The National Weather Service predicted extreme weather across a vast swath of the U.S. with a population exceeding 100 million people. Powerful winds gusting up to 80 mph were forecast from the Canadian border to Texas.
Forecasters say the severe storm threat will continue into the weekend, with a high chance of tornadoes and damaging winds Saturday in Mississippi and Alabama. Heavy rain could bring flash flooding to some parts of the East Coast on Sunday.
The National Weather Service said it observed nine evening tornadoes, including one considered damaging around the southern Missouri city of Bakersfield.
"This is a life threatening situation. Seek shelter now!" the agency warned on X.
The Storm Prediction Center said fast-moving storms could spawn twisters and hail as large as baseballs, but the greatest threat would come from straight-line winds near or exceeding hurricane force, with gusts of 100 mph (160 kph) possible.
Other areas at risk included parts of Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi.
About 47 million people faced an enhanced to moderate severe storm threat from Madison, Wisconsin, to Birmingham, Alabama.
Forecasters grew increasingly worried that intense thunderstorms farther south will likely bring an even greater tornado threat Saturday.
The NWS Storm Prediction Center said parts of Mississippi, including Jackson and Hattiesburg and areas of Alabama including Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, will be at a high risk. Severe storms and tornadoes are also possible across eastern Louisiana, western Georgia, central Tennessee and the western Florida Panhandle.
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