At least 44 dead as tornadoes, wildfires, dust storms strike across U.S.
March 17 (UPI) -- National Guard and National Weather Service crews were dispatched to the central and eastern United States some 52 tornadoes and wildfires killed at least 44 people over the weekend.
Weather-related deaths were reported in eight states by Accuweather.com: 12 in Missouri; eight in Kansas; six in Mississippi, four in Texas, four in Oklahoma, four in North Carolina, three in Arkansas; and three in Alabama.
The North Carolina deaths included two boys who were killed when a tree fell on a trailer Sunday.
And more bad weather is forecast. On Monday, 8 million people in the western United States were under winter storm watches and warnings.
Light snow is forecast from the Northeast to the southern mid-Atlantic Coast through Tuesday evening, and over the Lower Great Lakes and Central Appalachians through late Monday afternoon.
Conversely, NBC's Al Roker said conditions would be "bone-dry," with a critical risk for fire from Denver down to San Angelo, Texas, and east to Oklahoma City. On Monday, 42 million people are under fire alerts in Great Plains and the Florida peninsula.
With clean-up beginning for some, the central and southern High Plains wereaat risk for extreme or critical fire weather Monday, the National Weather Service said.
In Oklahoma, almost 300 houses and structures were destroyed by wildfires.
About 170,000 acres in Oklahoma burned. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt promised a "post-mortem look" on the causes of the wildfires beyond the high winds and low humidity. "We think some of the power lines contributed to this," he said.
The NWS issued a Fire Weather Watch from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday in several areas, with wind gusts up to 35 to 45 mph expected to hit much of central and southwest Oklahoma. Meteorologists forecast conditions to be worse Tuesday, posing higher fire risk.
Also, the weather service issued red flag warnings in several states as high winds and low humidity raise the risk of wildfires.
"Dry and breezy weather may lead to the initiation and spread of wildfires," the weather service in Fort Worth, Texas, posted on X. "Stay weather aware and avoid activities that can lead to wildfires!"
President Donald Trump on Monday posted on Truth Social his office was "actively monitoring the severe tornadoes and storms that have impacted many states across the South and Midwest." He said the National Guard has been deployed to Arkansas.
"My administration is ready to assist state and local officials, as they help their communities to try and recover from the damage," Trump said. "Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!"
Weather service field crews across the central and eastern United States conducted tornado damage surveys Sunday.
Electric companies have been restoring power. Missouri had the most outages, 20,000, by Monday afternoon, according to Poweroutage.us.
In Missouri, an EF-3 tornado with peak winds of 140 mph was reported Saturday.
Gov. Mike Kehoe posted on X Sunday he "had the opportunity to hear directly from Missourians who have lost so much -- but even in the face of destruction, their resilience and determination to rebuild are inspiring.
"This is a long road, but we are in this together. My team and I will continue working around the clock to get resources where they're needed most."
In Kansas, eight people died when high winds and a dust storm caused a collision on Interstate 70 that involved at least 71 vehicles, Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Tod Hileman said.
In Texas, blowing dirt and wildfire smoke caused multiple car crashes Friday. Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Cindy Barkley told USA Today that nearly 40 vehicles were involved in a Randall County, though no life-threatening injuries were reported.
"We had so many crashes that day, I can't even keep up," she said.
In Mississippi, Tyrene Power's home is buried under rubble after a tornado struck their home.
"You know, they say you hear a train," Power told the Clarion Ledger as she sat in a vehicle Sunday morning to stay warm outside of the remains of her destroyed home. "We heard no train. It was just the wind and then it was there."
Smith County Sheriff Joel Houston said on Facebook that Taylorville "experienced significant damage due to tornadoes that struck" Sunday.
In Alabama, damage was reported in 52 of the state's 67 counties, Gov. Kay Ivey confirmed on X.
"Emergency management officials have been working hard to assess the damage brought by this weekend's storms," she wrote.
An EF-2 threw a yellow school bus onto the roof of Winterboro High School in Talladega County on Saturday.
The strongest confirmed twister was a powerful EF-4 with 190 mph winds in Jackson County, Arkansas.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders surveyed damage Friday, writing on X: "In the worst moments you see the best of Arkansans. Showing up and helping one another. Thankful to lead the greatest state in America."
In North Carolina, a tree fell on a trailer in Brevard, killing two boys ages 11 and 13, fire officials said Sunday.
"I am heartbroken to learn that two children were killed over the weekend due to severe weather. May their memories be a blessing," North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein wrote in a Monday post on X.
Nearly 1,100 flights nationwide were canceled Friday and Saturday during a peak period because of spring break for schools. On Monday afternoon, FlightAware showed 524 cancellations Monday.
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26 photos of the worst hurricanes to have hit the US
Over the past 100-plus years, the United States has been hit by some of its worst hurricanes. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused $125 billion in property damage. Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic rainfall to North Carolina, causing flooding and landslides. Hurricane season is here. As people in hurricane-prone states like Florida and Louisiana start to prepare to face whatever storm might come their way between June 1 and November 30, there are lessons they can learn from storms past, including what to pack in a go-bag and how best to protect their home. Hurricanes have been well documented in the southeastern US since the 1800s, and for the past 100 years, we've been able to see the impact they have left on affected communities. These 26 pictures show the worst hurricanes that have hit the US through history. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was, and still is, the deadliest hurricane to hit the United States. The hurricane hit Galveston, Texas, on September 8, 1900, as a Category 4 hurricane. An estimated 6,000 to 12,000 people were killed by the hurricane, according to making it the nation's deadliest storm, even 120 years later. A large section of Galveston was destroyed by the storm. Two of the reasons the hurricane resulted in such a high death toll were the lack of any warning and the high storm surge of 8 to 15 feet. The hurricane destroyed 3,600 homes, Fox 13 News reported. It caused the equivalent of more than $640 million worth of damage in today's dollars. The Miami Hurricane of 1926 crippled Florida for decades. There was little warning of the approaching hurricane, according to the National Weather Service. Citizens of Miami who didn't realize the storm was still ongoing left their homes as the hurricane's eye passed over and skies cleared. However, the eye is the center of the storm, so what followed resulted in more death and destruction. In total, 372 people died, over 6,000 people were injured, and the property damage totaled $164 billion in today's dollars. The Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 was the second-deadliest hurricane to hit the US. In 1928, the hurricane made landfall as a Category 4 storm that claimed between 1,770 to 2,300 lives in central Florida. Winds from the storm blew water from Lake Okeechobee into a storm surge that reached 6 to 10 feet high and spilled into nearby cities. Homes, roads, and businesses were flooded, and over 1,000 people drowned. The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane is one of four in US history that have made landfall as a Category 5 storm. "People were picked up and thrown around like rag dolls," Brad Bertelli, curator of the Keys History & Discovery Center in Islamorada, told the Sun Sentinel. "Bodies were blown all the way across Florida Bay to Cape Sable." The winds were so powerful that they swept an 11-car passenger train off its tracks. USA Today reported the hurricane destroyed the railroad tracks that connected the Florida Keys to the mainland. Among the victims were World War I veterans working on a highway, according to the World Digital Library. They were waiting for a rescue train to evacuate, but the winds derailed it before it ever arrived. Hurricane Camille had the highest speeds of any hurricane to hit the US when it made landfall in 1969. Winds reached an estimated 190 miles per hour as the storm moved across Mississippi. Maximum sustained winds are unknown because the hurricane destroyed all the wind-recording instruments in the area, according to Camille is another of the four Category 5 hurricanes that made landfall in the US, the National Weather Service reported. In the days following Camille, fresh water was scarce for survivors. In the photo, 11-year-old Carl Wright can be seen drinking from a broken pipe amid the rubble of his father's gas station in Gulfport, Mississippi. In the aftermath, citizens tried to return to everyday activities. Though they tried, it was difficult. The National Weather Service reported a storm surge of 24.6 feet hit the town. When it hit Florida, Hurricane Andrew had winds strong enough to blow this sailboat ashore. Andrew was a Category 5 hurricane that struck southern Florida and south-central Louisiana. According to Andrew's wind speeds were estimated at 167 miles per hour, but like Camille, the instruments were destroyed, leaving its exact speed unknown. Andrew negatively impacted both the economy and the environment of Florida. The storm pulled up many large trees. Almost a third of the pine trees in Everglades National Park were badly damaged by the winds. In the aftermath of the storm, 250,000 people were left homeless, and 82,000 businesses were destroyed or damaged. The damage caused by Andrew totaled $26.5 billion. The National Park Service reported Andrew was the most expensive storm of its time, until it was overtaken by Hurricane Katrina 15 years later. Hurricane Katrina, the costliest storm to make landfall in the US, claimed more than 1,800 lives. According to the National Hurricane Center, Katrina and its aftermath killed 1,833 people. The Mississippi Gulf Coast and Louisiana were ravaged by the deadly storm, and property damage caused by the storm reportedly totaled over $125 billion. The storm surge from the hurricane breached the levees in New Orleans, causing mass flooding across the city. Nearly 80% of the city was underwater, with levels being so high in certain areas like St. Bernard Parish and the Ninth Ward that people climbed to their attics and rooftops. Thousands of people took shelter in New Orleans' Superdome. The mayor of New Orleans designated the stadium as a "shelter of last resort" for people the day before Katrina hit, according to the History Channel. Almost 10,000 people sought shelter at the Superdome, and another 15,000 were accepted after the storm hit. In the days that followed the storm, supplies remained limited as the occupants waited for evacuation. The government was criticized by many for a slow reaction to the storm. In the aftermath of Katrina, water had to be pumped out of flooded areas. The Data Center reported almost 1 million people in the Gulf Coast were displaced by Katrina. When it hit in 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused $70 billion in damage and killed 285 people. Sandy had winds of 80 miles per hour when it hit Atlantic City, New Jersey, per Live Science. Streets were flooded from New Jersey into New York, where water surged over downtown Manhattan's seawalls and highways into low-lying streets and subways. Several fires broke out because of the storm. More than 80 homes burned to the ground in Queens when one fire got out of control. The winds were so strong that it pushed the Star Jet roller coaster off its pier. The roller coaster was pushed into the Atlantic Ocean by the storm. Workers later dismantled the ride. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused $125 billion worth of damage in Houston. The Texas Tribune reported that extreme flooding and strong winds caused billions of dollars of property damage. According to the Office for Coastal Management, Harvey was the deadliest storm to hit Texas since 1919 — 68 people died during the storm. Harvey impacted Texas' economy, making for a slow recovery in parts. The New York Times reported citizens in Houston hit by the storm were still recovering and adversely affected a year later, with the poorest neighborhoods the slowest to recover. Hurricane Maria hit the US territory of Puerto Rico in 2017, knocking out the power grid and causing widespread flooding. Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and the Caribbean as a Category 4 storm less than two weeks after Hurricane Irma and a month after Hurricane Harvey. With wind gusts up to 155 miles per hour, it was the third-strongest storm to make landfall in the US, according to World Vision. The hurricane likely killed thousands, even though the original death toll was reported to be 64. The official death toll from Hurricane Maria was originally reported as 64. In a 2018 report submitted to Congress requesting $139 billion in federal aid, the government of Puerto Rico quietly acknowledged a higher death toll of 1,400. A 2018 Harvard study estimated that the hurricane actually caused 4,645 deaths due to lack of medical care and loss of basic utilities caused by power outages. The storm caused the largest power blackout in US history and the second-largest in the world, CNN reported. Hurricane Ian pummeled southwest Florida in 2022, with winds at nearly Category 5 speeds. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a press conference in Tallahassee that the storm "could make landfall as a Category 5" with winds 157 mph or higher. Hurricane Ian remained just short of the Category 5 hurricane threshold, making landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida with 150 mph winds and destructive flooding with over a foot of rainfall in one day. An official from Lee County, Florida, told USA Today reporter Kate Cimini that the community "has been, in some respects, decimated" in the wake of the storm. The hurricane caused catastrophic flooding, widespread blackouts, and shut down airports. More than 2.6 million homes in southwest Florida experienced blackouts due to the storm, according to The Florida Department of Transportation announced on Monday that Tampa Bay International Airport and the St. Pete/Clearwater International Airport were suspending operations due to the storm. The Orlando International Airport also canceled all of its commercial flights starting on Wednesday, and the Jacksonville International Airport announced the cancellation of all its Thursday flights. In 2024, Hurricane Helene became the deadliest storm to hit the US mainland since Katrina. The Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region with winds of over 140 mph, as reported by the Florida Climate Center. The storm then went into the South Appalachians, where North Carolina communities were greatly affected. In Asheville, streets were completely flooded, and people saw intense damage to public infrastructure like roads and hospitals, heightening the crisis situation. The Appalachian communities saw rivers overflowing thanks to the historic rainfall. Of Helene's death count, over 100 occurred in North Carolina, which was hit particularly hard by the flooding, as reported by The Weather Channel. Landslides also occurred during the storm, leading to the destruction of communities in the western part of the state. In total, Helene is estimated to have caused $78 billion in damages. Read the original article on Business Insider
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26 photos of the worst hurricanes to have hit the US
Over the past 100-plus years, the United States has been hit by some of its worst hurricanes. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused $125 billion in property damage. Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic rainfall to North Carolina, causing flooding and landslides. Hurricane season is here. As people in hurricane-prone states like Florida and Louisiana start to prepare to face whatever storm might come their way between June 1 and November 30, there are lessons they can learn from storms past, including what to pack in a go-bag and how best to protect their home. Hurricanes have been well documented in the southeastern US since the 1800s, and for the past 100 years, we've been able to see the impact they have left on affected communities. These 26 pictures show the worst hurricanes that have hit the US through history. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was, and still is, the deadliest hurricane to hit the United States. The hurricane hit Galveston, Texas, on September 8, 1900, as a Category 4 hurricane. An estimated 6,000 to 12,000 people were killed by the hurricane, according to making it the nation's deadliest storm, even 120 years later. A large section of Galveston was destroyed by the storm. Two of the reasons the hurricane resulted in such a high death toll were the lack of any warning and the high storm surge of 8 to 15 feet. The hurricane destroyed 3,600 homes, Fox 13 News reported. It caused the equivalent of more than $640 million worth of damage in today's dollars. The Miami Hurricane of 1926 crippled Florida for decades. There was little warning of the approaching hurricane, according to the National Weather Service. Citizens of Miami who didn't realize the storm was still ongoing left their homes as the hurricane's eye passed over and skies cleared. However, the eye is the center of the storm, so what followed resulted in more death and destruction. In total, 372 people died, over 6,000 people were injured, and the property damage totaled $164 billion in today's dollars. The Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 was the second-deadliest hurricane to hit the US. In 1928, the hurricane made landfall as a Category 4 storm that claimed between 1,770 to 2,300 lives in central Florida. Winds from the storm blew water from Lake Okeechobee into a storm surge that reached 6 to 10 feet high and spilled into nearby cities. Homes, roads, and businesses were flooded, and over 1,000 people drowned. The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane is one of four in US history that have made landfall as a Category 5 storm. "People were picked up and thrown around like rag dolls," Brad Bertelli, curator of the Keys History & Discovery Center in Islamorada, told the Sun Sentinel. "Bodies were blown all the way across Florida Bay to Cape Sable." The winds were so powerful that they swept an 11-car passenger train off its tracks. USA Today reported the hurricane destroyed the railroad tracks that connected the Florida Keys to the mainland. Among the victims were World War I veterans working on a highway, according to the World Digital Library. They were waiting for a rescue train to evacuate, but the winds derailed it before it ever arrived. Hurricane Camille had the highest speeds of any hurricane to hit the US when it made landfall in 1969. Winds reached an estimated 190 miles per hour as the storm moved across Mississippi. Maximum sustained winds are unknown because the hurricane destroyed all the wind-recording instruments in the area, according to Camille is another of the four Category 5 hurricanes that made landfall in the US, the National Weather Service reported. In the days following Camille, fresh water was scarce for survivors. In the photo, 11-year-old Carl Wright can be seen drinking from a broken pipe amid the rubble of his father's gas station in Gulfport, Mississippi. In the aftermath, citizens tried to return to everyday activities. Though they tried, it was difficult. The National Weather Service reported a storm surge of 24.6 feet hit the town. When it hit Florida, Hurricane Andrew had winds strong enough to blow this sailboat ashore. Andrew was a Category 5 hurricane that struck southern Florida and south-central Louisiana. According to Andrew's wind speeds were estimated at 167 miles per hour, but like Camille, the instruments were destroyed, leaving its exact speed unknown. Andrew negatively impacted both the economy and the environment of Florida. The storm pulled up many large trees. Almost a third of the pine trees in Everglades National Park were badly damaged by the winds. In the aftermath of the storm, 250,000 people were left homeless, and 82,000 businesses were destroyed or damaged. The damage caused by Andrew totaled $26.5 billion. The National Park Service reported Andrew was the most expensive storm of its time, until it was overtaken by Hurricane Katrina 15 years later. Hurricane Katrina, the costliest storm to make landfall in the US, claimed more than 1,800 lives. According to the National Hurricane Center, Katrina and its aftermath killed 1,833 people. The Mississippi Gulf Coast and Louisiana were ravaged by the deadly storm, and property damage caused by the storm reportedly totaled over $125 billion. The storm surge from the hurricane breached the levees in New Orleans, causing mass flooding across the city. Nearly 80% of the city was underwater, with levels being so high in certain areas like St. Bernard Parish and the Ninth Ward that people climbed to their attics and rooftops. Thousands of people took shelter in New Orleans' Superdome. The mayor of New Orleans designated the stadium as a "shelter of last resort" for people the day before Katrina hit, according to the History Channel. Almost 10,000 people sought shelter at the Superdome, and another 15,000 were accepted after the storm hit. In the days that followed the storm, supplies remained limited as the occupants waited for evacuation. The government was criticized by many for a slow reaction to the storm. In the aftermath of Katrina, water had to be pumped out of flooded areas. When it hit in 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused $70 billion in damage and killed 285 people. Several fires broke out because of the storm. The winds were so strong that it pushed the Star Jet roller coaster off its pier. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused $125 billion worth of damage in Houston. The Texas Tribune reported that extreme flooding and strong winds caused billions of dollars of property damage. According to the Office for Coastal Management, Harvey was the deadliest storm to hit Texas since 1919 — 68 people died during the storm. Harvey impacted Texas' economy, making for a slow recovery in parts. Hurricane Maria hit the US territory of Puerto Rico in 2017, knocking out the power grid and causing widespread flooding. Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and the Caribbean as a Category 4 storm less than two weeks after Hurricane Irma and a month after Hurricane Harvey. With wind gusts up to 155 miles per hour, it was the third-strongest storm to make landfall in the US, according to World Vision. The hurricane likely killed thousands, even though the original death toll was reported to be 64. The official death toll from Hurricane Maria was originally reported as 64. In a 2018 report submitted to Congress requesting $139 billion in federal aid, the government of Puerto Rico quietly acknowledged a higher death toll of 1,400. A 2018 Harvard study estimated that the hurricane actually caused 4,645 deaths due to lack of medical care and loss of basic utilities caused by power outages. The storm caused the largest power blackout in US history and the second-largest in the world, CNN reported. Hurricane Ian pummeled southwest Florida in 2022, with winds at nearly Category 5 speeds. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a press conference in Tallahassee that the storm "could make landfall as a Category 5" with winds 157 mph or higher. Hurricane Ian remained just short of the Category 5 hurricane threshold, making landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida with 150 mph winds and destructive flooding with over a foot of rainfall in one day. An official from Lee County, Florida, told USA Today reporter Kate Cimini that the community "has been, in some respects, decimated" in the wake of the storm. The hurricane caused catastrophic flooding, widespread blackouts, and shut down airports. More than 2.6 million homes in southwest Florida experienced blackouts due to the storm, according to The Florida Department of Transportation announced on Monday that Tampa Bay International Airport and the St. Pete/Clearwater International Airport were suspending operations due to the storm. The Orlando International Airport also canceled all of its commercial flights starting on Wednesday, and the Jacksonville International Airport announced the cancellation of all its Thursday flights. In 2024, Hurricane Helene became the deadliest storm to hit the US mainland since Katrina. The Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region with winds of over 140 mph, as reported by the Florida Climate Center. The storm then went into the South Appalachians, where North Carolina communities were greatly affected. In Asheville, streets were completely flooded, and people saw intense damage to public infrastructure like roads and hospitals, heightening the crisis situation. The Appalachian communities saw rivers overflowing thanks to the historic rainfall. Of Helene's death count, over 100 occurred in North Carolina, which was hit particularly hard by the flooding, as reported by The Weather Channel. Landslides also occurred during the storm, leading to the destruction of communities in the western part of the state. In total, Helene is estimated to have caused $78 billion in damages.
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Heat waves, severe storms? What weather to expect this summer in Oklahoma City
As the worst of tornado season comes to an end, Oklahomans are preparing to enjoy the outdoors and embrace the warmer weather. With clearer skies ahead, the Oklahoma City summer promises both sunshine and soaring temperatures, but severe weather could always arise. Here's what to expect this summer in Oklahoma: Oklahomans should see a very normal June, meteorologists say. Temperatures are beginning to climb, but conditions should remain relatively mild throughout June. AccuWeather predicts June temperatures will range between highs of 76°F and 94°F with an average high of 86.96°F. In their heat wave and historical summer temperature data for Oklahoma City, the National Weather Service reports the average temperatures for the hottest City summers have historically ranged between 83.3°F and 87.5°F. Residents can expect July is expected to bring the peak of summer heat. Summer 2025 Weather Predictions From The Old Farmer's Almanac indicate a gradual buildup to potentially record-breaking temperatures in July and August that could reach 4°F above normal. AccuWeather predicts July temperatures will range between highs of 90°F and 98°F with an average high of 94.87°F. The hottest Oklahoma City summer took place in 2011, with an average temperature of 87.5°F. AccuWeather predicts August temperatures will range between highs of 87°F to 97°F with an average high of 93.06°F. This summer's forecasts suggest Oklahoma City Residents should prepare to experience above average heat with temperatures exceeding historical averages. For current weather updates and alerts, visit the weather service's official website This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Summer weather in Oklahoma: Heat waves, storms possible; see outlooks
