Topline
A severe weather system will likely impact the Southeast and East Coast on Sunday, with tornadoes and thunderstorms expected in several states, according to the National Weather Service, a day after at least two people were killed by tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi.
Parts of several states are under tornado watches, forecasters warned.
Key Facts
Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and hail are likely across the eastern Gulf Coast—including portions of southern Georgia, Alabama and Florida—and into North and South Carolina, where a severe thunderstorm warning is in effect, the National Weather Service said.
Sunday’s storms are associated with a “severe weather outbreak” that occurred across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley on Saturday, according to the agency, after more than 30 tornadoes were reported across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
There is a slight risk of tornadoes in parts of northern and southern Florida, North and South Carolina and Ohio, potentially affecting areas near Jacksonville, Columbus and Raleigh, North Carolina, according to the National Weather Service.
Tornado watches have been issued across southern Georgia, north Florida and North and South Carolina, where wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour are expected.
Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued across Alabama and Georgia, and severe weather—including thunderstorms and “excessive rainfall concerns”—is forecast for Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Pittsburgh and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
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What To Watch For
Up to two inches of rain are expected across the coastal areas in Oregon and northern California, where the National Weather Service expects to be impacted by a slight risk of excessive rainfall. Storms will likely spread to the Northeast later Sunday, according to the agency, while snow is forecast for Upper Michigan. Critical fire weather, characterized by drought, low humidity and winds up to 15 miles per hour, is forecast for northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota on Monday.
Big Number
180,596. That’s the estimated number of people without power across North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas as of around noon EST, according to PowerOutage.us. Nearly 350 flights into or out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport have been delayed, according to FlightAware.
Key Background
An outbreak of severe weather across the southern U.S. spawned several tornadoes, including some that damaged areas across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Sunday at least one person died in Adams County, Mississippi, while at least four others were injured. Multiple tornadoes were reported south of Houston, Texas, where at least one person died in Liverpool, according to the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office. The weather also caused power outages at Mississippi’s Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, the airport said, though the issue has been resolved.
