The onslaught of tornadoes, ferocious winds, and destructive hail continues to pummel the Deep South and Tennessee Valley today as a powerful storm system strengthens over the Mississippi Valley. This system is pulling Gulf moisture northward, creating a volatile environment capable of unleashing violent tornadoes, devastating winds, and massive hail.
Tornado Watches stretch across much of Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and parts of Louisiana, highlighting the potential for long-track tornadoes, some of which could carve paths of destruction for over 100 miles. The greatest risk for violent tornadoes remains concentrated in east-central Mississippi and central Alabama, where the Storm Prediction Center has issued a High Risk for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes - the highest level of severe weather threat. This area, largely overlapping the Interstate 59 corridor from Hattiesburg, Miss., to Huntsville, Ala., is most likely to see waves of violent tornadoes, including some capable of tracking on the ground for extended distances.
In Colbert County, Ala., emergency management reported baseball-sized hail slamming into the Colbert Heights community near Tuscumbia, leaving a trail of damage. Golf ball-sized hail battered the town of Shannon, Miss., shattering windows and denting vehicles. Quarter-sized hail has been reported in multiple locations, including Lauderdale County, Ala., and Yalobusha County, Miss., where it peppered homes and stripped vegetation.
Tornadoes have already unleashed chaos in several areas. In Issaquena County, Miss., near Grace, homes were ripped apart and power lines were toppled, with reports of possible injuries. Near Taylorsville, Miss., a tornado left a swath of devastation, snapping trees like twigs and tearing through metal structures. In Tangipahoa Parish, La., structural damage and blocked roads were reported, likely due to a tornado tearing through the area.
The severe weather threat extends beyond tornadoes, with howling winds and relentless hail also wreaking havoc. Wind gusts exceeding 60 mph have been reported in multiple locations, including Tunica, Miss., and Germantown, Tenn., where they downed trees and power lines, leaving a mess of debris and causing widespread power outages.
Residents across the South are urged to remain on high alert as the threat continues through the evening. Alabama and Mississippi still face several hours of severe weather, with the potential for additional tornadoes, punishing winds, and hail that could shatter windows and dent vehicles. Have multiple ways to receive warnings, including NOAA weather radios and smartphone alerts, and know where to seek shelter if a tornado warning is issued.
This is a life-threatening situation, and preparedness is critical as the storms continue to rage and march eastward. Stay tuned to local weather updates and be ready to act quickly if warnings are issued for your area.
