Severe Weather Set To Threaten Parts of Miss. Valley & Southeast

[Webster]

(Weather Underground) A dangerous outbreak of severe thunderstorms in the South today could produce strong tornadoes, destructive straight-line winds and large hail as flooding rain takes aim at the Ohio Valley.

Here's what's happening right now. -- A broad area of rain and thunderstorms stretches from Texas to the Ohio Valley, as shown on the radar map below.

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has issued a tornado watch valid until 7 p.m. CT for portions of southwest Arkansas, northwest Louisiana, extreme southeast Oklahoma and east Texas. A few tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail are possible in the area shaded in red above. A possible tornado caused damage near Poolville, Texas, earlier this morning and two flooding deaths have been reported overnight in Wright County, Missouri.

The threat will peak in the South through this evening. An outbreak of severe storms is expected in the South during the afternoon and evening hours, especially across parts of the lower Mississippi Valley (areas shaded red in the map below). This includes Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana; Greenville and Jackson, Mississippi; Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee; and Little Rock, Arkansas.

Supercell thunderstorms and a squall line of severe storms could impact parts of this region and produce tornadoes, widespread wind damage and large hail. This might include the possibility of strong tornadoes (EF2 or greater strength).

The chance of severe weather will generally advance from west to east across the severe weather risk areas shown below from this afternoon into the overnight hours, including the possibility of tornadoes after dark in some locations. The worst weather will generally occur between 5 p.m. and 12 a.m central time today.

Multi-inch rainfall totals are possible from the Ohio Valley into the mid-Mississippi Valley and mid-South through Friday night. As a result, the National Weather Service has issued flood watches from the eastern half of Oklahoma to the Ohio Valley. This is where flash flooding and minor to moderate river flooding is possible.

 

[Webster]

(Weather Underground) There are reports of major damage after a strong tornado hit Rolling Fork, Mississippi. There is no immediate word on any potential injuries, but there are reports of people trapped in debris.

Early video showed cars flipped over along a roadway and what appeared to be damaged buildings. The tornado was spotted by chasers and radar confirmed that debris was being pulled up to 22,000 feet. This is indicative of an EF3+ strength tornado.

Rolling Fork is about 60 miles northwest of Jackson.

Video posted to social media showed power flashes as the tornado moved through.


The tornado continued northeastward for at least 40 miles to near Silver City and Tchula, Mississippi. The storm is part of a line of severe weather moving across parts of the south tonight.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Be safe out there peeps!

 

[Webster]

(AccuWeather) The latest string of storms to hit the South targeted western Georgia Sunday morning, with a likely tornado leaving several injured and causing significant property damage.

In LaGrange, Georgia, about 65 miles southwest of Atlanta, a likely tornado was picked up on radar around 7 a.m. EDT, with the storm reported to have been moving east at 40 mph. An hour later, multiple injuries were already being reported from the storm by local emergency management, with CNN later reporting Sunday afternoon that at least three people were injured.

A spokesperson for the Troup County Sheriff's Office told WTVM that anywhere between 80 and 100 structures were damaged, with around 30 of them sustaining major damage.

Troup County Manager Eric Mosley said the county responded to calls of people trapped after the likely tornado hit and calls for trees falling on houses. Mosley also told The LaGrange News that several sheriff's deputies' vehicles suffered damaged windshields from hail that accompanied the storm. "We're getting multiple calls through our 911 departments," Mosley said. "We are responding with fire rescue resources, the sheriff's office ... to some damage."

The likely tornado caused a closure of parts of Interstate 85 and Highway 185 in the area, with video captured from Interstate 85 showing a bevy of downed trees along the roadside.

In West Point, Georgia, about 15 miles northeast of LaGrange, there was a report of trapped individuals and collapsed houses Sunday morning after a likely tornado moved through the city. An unconfirmed report stated that the storm potentially hit a Kia vehicle assembly plant in West Point. Local fire authorities advised all crews to take shelter ahead of the storm. Red Cross Georgia opened a shelter in West Point at a local gym for those impacted by the storms.

A possible tornado was also picked up on radar Sunday morning in Milledgeville, Georgia, 120 miles east of LaGrange. The storm left extensive structural damage to a local hospital, with parts of the facility's roof ripped off. Mass power outages were also reported in the area in the storm's wake. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency early Sunday afternoon following the storms, allowing the state to bring in any additional resources needed for recovery efforts.

In Pine Mountain, Georgia, 20 miles southeast of LaGrange, two tigers briefly escaped Pine Mountain Safari during the storms, with both tigers found and safely returned to their enclosure early Sunday afternoon. Local law enforcement asked residents to stay inside when the animals were first reported as missing. The reports of possible tornadoes near the Georgia-Alabama border comes just two days after 20 tornado reports in western Mississippi and northern Alabama on Friday, including destructive twisters that killed at least 25 people.