Millions of people from across the South are under threat of damaging winds, strong tornadoes and hail Saturday as the region braces for more potential destructive storms.
Multiple tornadoes have been reported in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi over the past couple of days, including an EF1 tornado (86- to 110-mph winds) near Fullerton, Louisiana, on Friday.
The National Weather Service confirmed five tornadoes in Texas on Thursday, including an EF1 in the Houston area that caused structural damage to some homes.
Mayor Dan Davis of Manvel, Texas, said one person was killed in a tornado in Brazoria County. He did not provide further details on the death or the victim’s identity.
Another tornado in east Montgomery County caused “extensive damage,” including to a fire station, but no fatalities and only minor injuries were reported, said Jason Smith, deputy chief of staff in County Judge Mark J. Keough’s office.
The East Montgomery County Fire Department confirmed its station sustained damage from the twister.
“Despite the challenges, we remain fully operational and committed to serving our community,” the fire department said in a statement. The statement added that the fire house has power from a generator.
Saturday’s risk for more storms, affecting around 24 million people, stretches from Texas to west Georgia and includes the cities of Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Monroe in Louisiana; Houston and Dallas; Jackson, Mississippi; and Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama.
There will be the risk for strong tornadoes, destructive 70 mph and up wind gusts and 2 inch hail Saturday into the overnight hours as the line of storms pushes east. Localized flash flooding is also possible.
Should strong tornadoes form, they will likely happen after dark, given the time of the year. Nighttime tornadoes are more than twice as likely to be deadly.
“The strongest storms and greatest strong (EF2+) tornado threat will exist during late afternoon/early evening,” the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said on X.
A tornado watch was in effect for far East Texas, parts of southern and central Louisiana and parts Arkansas and Mississippi until 9 p.m. CT.
By Sunday, this line of storms will march east, with a slight risk for severe weather impacting an additional 24 million people from east Alabama to Virginia. Atlanta, Charlotte, and Raleigh are included in this risk for more tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and large hail.
1:49pm CST #SPC Day1 Outlook Moderate Risk: THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF EAST TEXAS LOUISIANA CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA https://t.co/TgJgC6cQZw pic.twitter.com/QTvFwUsYyZ
— NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) December 28, 2024
Amid the ongoing weather, there have been nearly 7,600 flight delays and 239 cancellations within, into or out of the U.S. as of 5:30 p.m. ET Saturday, according to FlightAware.com.
The majority of cancellations and delays are into and out of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, with more than 970 delays and almost 100 cancellations.
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