Severe Weather Alert: Tornado Outbreak Expected Across Southern States
The Storm Prediction Center has issued a warning for a significant increase in tornado activity across several Southern states. Areas identified as high-risk include Hattiesburg, Jackson, Tuscaloosa, and Birmingham, where numerous tornadoes could form, some potentially long-track and violent.
Timeline of Severe Weather Events
The most intense tornado threat is predicted to commence on Saturday, beginning in the late morning to early afternoon hours in Louisiana and Mississippi. The severe weather is expected to intensify and spread into Alabama by late afternoon and into the evening.
As the system moves eastward, the western Florida panhandle and parts of western Georgia will also feel the effects through Saturday night.
Current Tornado Reports and Damaging Winds
In a recent update, 23 tornado sightings were reported overnight across multiple states, including Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, and Mississippi, highlighting the severity of the ongoing weather system. Wind gusts exceeded 80 mph, resulting in considerable damage from the Midwest through Wisconsin.
State of Emergency and Anticipated Storm Weakening
In response to the severe weather threats, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has enacted a state of emergency effective Saturday afternoon. This measure is intended to mitigate the impact of the anticipated storms moving into the region later in the evening and into Sunday morning.
Forecasts indicate that the severe weather may diminish on Sunday as it progresses towards the East Coast from Florida up to the Mid-Atlantic region. Although expected to weaken, damaging winds, large hail, and brief tornadoes remain possible throughout the Southeast on Sunday afternoon. The Northeast will experience threats from heavy rain and high winds Sunday evening into the overnight hours.
Widespread Storm System and Fire Danger Alerts
The ongoing severe weather is a component of a broader storm system traversing across the country. In addition to tornado threats, the system has prompted fire danger alerts and red flag warnings across the Plains, underscoring the diverse and hazardous weather conditions affecting different regions.
