Storm unleashes massive tornadoes, flooding south

Mr. Jackson. – Residents of several towns in Louisiana and Mississippi evacuated as tornado sirens blared late Tuesday, and weather forecasters tracked long-range on the ground as a severe weather outbreak hit the deep South. I have warned you of the threat of a powerful Twister that can.

There were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries as multiple tornado warnings were issued Tuesday afternoon into the night as severe thunderstorms swept across eastern Texas to Georgia and north into Indiana.National Weather Service Confirmed A tornado hit the ground in Mississippi on Tuesday night, while Alabama was on the forecasted path of the storm overnight.

More than 25 million people were endangered as a system of giant storms.The National Storm Prediction Center said in it storm outlook Affected cities may include New Orleans. Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. and Birmingham, Alabama.

NWS has received reports of people trapped in a grocery store in Caledonia, Mississippi. Lowndes County Emergency Management Director Cindy Lawrence said shortly after 6 p.m. WTVA-TV The people inside the grocery store successfully made it. Lawrence also said a family trapped in a house about a mile (1.6 km) away from the store had escaped.

Additional reports of property damage near Columbus have been received by the NWS, according to NWS forecaster Lance Perrilloux.

Heavy rains and hail the size of a tennis ball are also possible, with weather forecasters expecting the weather to last until Wednesday.

In western Alabama, a suspected tornado damaged numerous homes in Hale County, according to a storm damage report to the National Weather Service. About 29,000 customers lost power early Wednesday morning.

Also in the western Alabama town of Uto, WBMA-TV video showed the majority of the roof missing from an apartment complex where residents stood outside in the middle of the night.

Utoe Police Chief Tommy Johnson told WBRC-TV: “In the morning, when the sun comes out a little bit, we’ll do a door-to-door search to see if anyone is trapped inside or something like that.”

However, so far there have been no reports of injuries. “There are no reports of anyone getting hurt or anything like that,” he said.

Craig Ceecee, a meteorologist at Mississippi State University, stared into an “incredibly black” sky from the door of a tornado shelter in Starkville. He estimated that about 100 people had already arrived as a thunderstorm was continuing outside.

The Oktibbeja County Emergency Management Department operates a shelter approximately three miles from the university campus. Ceecee said it is a dome-shaped multi-purpose facility capable of withstanding 250 mph (400 kph) winds.

Before Tuesday’s storm, Ceecee built a database of tornado shelters in Mississippi. He said there are some empty towns.

“I had to go through the event without[shelter]. Trust me, they were scary,” Ceecee said.

In the small town of Chula, Mississippi, hail crashed into the city hall windows as the mayor and other residents evacuated during a tornado warning. After the storm passed, Mayor Ann Polk said, “It was hitting the window. It turned out to be just the right size ball.

Federal forecasters rarely warn of large tornadoes that can cause damage over long distances, like Tuesday’s forecast. A tornado warning covering much of Louisiana and Mississippi was issued due to “particularly dangerous conditions,” the NWS said.

“A supercell is expected to develop this afternoon and move northeast through much of northeastern Louisiana and central Mississippi,” the Bureau of Meteorology said. “The parameters appear to be suitable for a strong and prolonged tornado this afternoon and evening.”

The storm’s strongest wave was predicted to pass through Mississippi between 5pm and 8pm, said Sarah Sickles, an NWS forecaster in the state capital, Jackson.

The Storm Prediction Center, based in Norman, Oklahoma, said: “Several severe thunderstorms are possible in the lower Mississippi region and parts of the south central region this afternoon through tonight.

Tornadoes rated EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale can generate gusts of up to 165 mph (266 kph).

All remaining classes at Mississippi State University’s main campus in Starkville were switched to distance learning on Tuesday due to the weather. A Mississippi women’s basketball game against the University of Louisiana at Monroe was scheduled to be played on campus, but the venue was closed to spectators. Alcorn State University and the University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg closed early.

Some public schools in Mississippi also closed early.

Flood warnings have been issued for parts of southeastern Mississippi and southwestern Alabama because 8 to 13 cm of rain can cause flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

Meanwhile, heavy snow was disrupting traffic in parts of the Midwest.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport tweeted Tuesday afternoon that its runway was closed due to rapid snowfall and reduced visibility. The Air Traffic website showed several arriving planes circling or diverting to other airports such as St. Cloud, Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota. The National Weather Service reported that by noon, about four inches (10) of snow had fallen on the ground at the airport.

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Jill Breed of Little Rock, Arkansas. Michael Goldberg of Jackson, Mississippi. Sarah Klein of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His Steve Karnowski of Minneapolis contributed to this report.