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CBS News
04-04-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Tornadoes and violent winds cause deadly damage in South and Midwest
Tornadoes and violent winds flattened homes and ripped apart buildings from Oklahoma to Indiana in the first round of storms that are expected to bring record-setting rains and life-threatening flash floods across the nation's midsection in the coming days. At least seven people were killed in western Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana in the first wave on Wednesday and early Thursday that spawned powerful tornadoes — one launching light debris nearly 5 miles above the ground in Arkansas. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, after touring the devastation, said Thursday it was too early to know whether there were more deaths as searches persisted. Workers on bulldozers cleared rubble along the highway that crosses through Lake City, Arkansas, where a tornado packing winds of 150 mph sheared the roofs off homes, collapsed brick walls and tossed cars into trees. "I don't really know how to explain it," said Cody Ferguson, who hid in a storm shelter with neighbors while the twister roared above them. "Just real loud rumbling, a lot of bangs, debris." His home that he built from the ground up was demolished, and he said a neighbor across the street was seriously injured. Those killed included a man and his teenage daughter whose home was destroyed in western Tennessee, and a man who died after his pickup struck downed power lines in Indiana. Sgt. Clark Parrott of the Missouri Highway Patrol said at least one person was killed in southeast Missouri, CBS affiliate KFVS-TV reported . In a suburb of Indianapolis, part of a warehouse collapsed, temporarily trapping at least one person inside. Meanwhile, water rescues were underway in flooded parts of Nashville, Tennessee, where the rain could persist for days after an unnerving night of tornado warnings that drained the batteries of some sirens across the city, the fire department said. On TikTok, a person posted a video of drivers in Nashville attempting to cross a flooded intersection, with some getting stuck in the floodwaters. Under darkened skies Thursday morning, the remains of a used car dealership in Selmer, Tennessee, stood roofless and gutted by the storm. Shards of debris scattered across the car lot and wrapped around mangled trees. Some homes were leveled to their foundations around the town where three tornadoes were suspected of touching down. "Thank God we came out without a scratch," said Willie Barnes, who had only enough time to get in a bathroom with his wife before the storm wrecked his home. Tennessee Highway Patrol released video of lightning illuminating the sky as first responders scoured the rubble of a decimated home in Selmer early Thursday morning, looking for anyone trapped. In neighboring Arkansas, a tornado near Blytheville lofted debris at least 25,000 feet, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Chelly Amin. The state's emergency management office reported damage in 22 counties from tornadoes, wind gusts, hail and flash flooding. Mississippi's governor said at least 60 homes were damaged. In far western Kentucky, four people were injured while taking shelter in a vehicle under a church carport, said the emergency management office in Ballard County. A tornado touched down in the northeastern Oklahoma city of Owasso on Wednesday, according to the weather service. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but the twister heavily damaged the roofs of homes and knocked down power lines, trees, fences and sheds. Forecasters attributed the violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf. On Thursday, satellite imagery showed thunderstorms lining up like freight trains — taking the same tracks over communities in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, according to the national Weather Prediction Center in Maryland. The bull's-eye centered on a swath along the Mississippi River and included the more than 1.3 million people around Memphis, Tennessee. More than 90 million people were at risk of severe weather — from Texas to Minnesota and Maine, according to the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center. Round after round of heavy rains are expected in the central U.S. through Saturday and could produce dangerous flash floods capable of sweeping away cars. The potent storm system will bring "significant, life-threatening flash flooding" each day, the weather service said. With more than a foot of rain possible over the next four days, the prolonged deluge "happens once in a generation to once in a lifetime," the weather service said. "Historic rainfall totals and impacts are possible." Water rescue teams and sandbagging operations were being staged across the region, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency was ready to distribute food, water, cots and generators. Western Kentucky residents were bracing for historic amounts of rain and flooding in places that normally don't get overwhelmed by water, Gov. Andy Beshear said. Flash flooding is particularly worrisome in rural areas of the state, where floodwaters can quickly rush off the mountains into the hollows. Less than four years ago, dozens died in flooding across eastern Kentucky.
USA Today
03-04-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
4 dead as tornadoes, 'catastrophic' rainfall pummel US: Live updates
4 dead as tornadoes, 'catastrophic' rainfall pummel US: Live updates Show Caption Hide Caption Severe storms rips roof from Michigan home Heavy rain and wind tore the roof off of a mobile home, leaving support beams exposed. Parts of Michigan were hit with over 90 mph winds. Deadly storms that have caused widespread damage across the central U.S. were still bearing down on much of the country Thursday, leaving hundreds of thousands without power as forecasters warned of historic flooding. Dozens of tornadoes were reported across Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri on Wednesday and overnight, according to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center. Images show widespread damage, with roofs collapsed, vehicles overturned and trees snapped and uprooted. At least four deaths have been tied to the storms. Officials in Missouri said one person was killed Wednesday in the southeast part of the state, KFVS-TV reported. In Tennessee, officials reported three deaths across McNairy, Obion and Fayette counties. Over 30 million people from Texas to Ohio and West Virginia were still at risk Thursday of powerful tornadoes and major flooding, which is only expected to worsen over the coming days as some parts of the country receive upwards of 15 inches of rain. "This is a catastrophic, potentially historic heavy rainfall and flash flood event," the National Weather Service said in a forecast, adding that people should prepare for "severe disruptions to daily life." Yes, it's an atmospheric river that's causing some of the weather issues in the central U.S. Normally associated with West Coast storms, atmospheric rivers are ribbons of water vapor that extend hundreds or thousands of miles from the tropics to the U.S. In general, atmospheric rivers pick up water vapor from the warm, moist air of tropical regions and then drop the water over land in cooler regions as rain or snow. "This moisture plume, known as an atmospheric river, will be tropical in nature and originate from the Caribbean," AccuWeather meteorologist William Clark said. "Tropical moisture raises the risk of excessive rainfall." He said it will behave like a tropical storm moving slowly across the area. However, with multiple rounds forecast in four to five days, it may be more like three or four tropical storms passing over the same region, with each unloading copious amounts of rain. – Doyle Rice Four people were injured after a suspected tornado formed in Ballard County, Kentucky, located about four hours from Louisville on the eastern border of Kentucky and Illinois. Ballard County Emergency Management said in a Facebook post that four sustained injuries in Gage, an unincorporated community, when attempting to take shelter in their vehicle under the carport of a church. The church suffered a direct hit from the debris, causing significant structural damage, and all four were taken to a local hospital. One was in critical condition, while the other three were facing non-life-threatening injuries. – Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal Hundreds of flights were canceled and delayed early Thursday as airports grappled with severe weather sweeping across much of the central U.S. About 140 flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and more than 80 were delayed, according to FlightAware. At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, more than 150 flights were canceled and 129 delayed. The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday that ground stops could be issued at Dallas-Fort Worth International and Denver International Airport. The Tennessee Highway Patrol said several strike teams are in areas impacted by tornadoes that swept across the state Wednesday night and early Thursday. The state agency released video on social media of troopers responding to tornado reports, searching through the wreckage of a flattened home near Selmer, a small city just north of Mississippi, which took a direct hit. "They're out in the middle of a lightning storm, looking for anyone who might be trapped or hurt – while strong storm cells passed just north and south of them, possibly with more tornadoes," the Tennessee Highway Patrol said. In Brownsburg, Indiana, a suspected tornado collapsed a section of a large warehouse Wednesday evening, trapping one woman inside before she was rescued, local media outlets reported. "Lots of storm damage across central Indiana," the state police said in a statement Thursday on X, urging people to stay off flooded roads and avoid debris. In northern Arkansas, the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency, the highest warning possible, as a "large and destructive tornado' hit Lake City and surrounding areas in the northeastern part of the state. The police department in the nearby area of Blytheville issued a stark warning overnight: "SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY! A tornado has been spotted on the ground." A member of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security took to a hotel bathroom to shelter after a tornado warning was issued in Middle Tennessee overnight. Special Agent Jason Pack said he began sheltering around 3:20 a.m. after a tornado warning activated in Davidson County, which encompasses the city of Nashville. "The emergency alert came out and we're taking cover," he said in a video posed on the Tennessee Highway Patrol's Facebook page. "We do take our own advice." He urged residents to keep up with weather updates as the storms pass over the state. School districts across the country canceled class on Thursday, citing the dangerous weather conditions brought by a massive springtime storm system. Districts in Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio announced a delayed start to class, a shift to virtual learning or a complete closing of schools. In Tennessee, Metro Nashville Public Schools, a district that serves over 81,000 students, closed for the day and canceled all after-school practices, games and meetings. Ahead of the storms, several governors declared states of emergency to unlock funds and resources to assist in the preparation of the severe weather and eventual recovery effort. States of emergency were declared in Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee, with officials urging residents to prepare for potentially historic flash flooding and tornadoes by packing a go-bag and staying updated on the weather in their areas. "This is a reminder for all of Kentucky that we are facing one of the most serious weather events we've had forecast," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement on X late Wednesday. "Please stay alert, take all precautions, and be prepared." From Mississippi to Michigan, more than 387,000 homes and businesses were without power early Thursday, according to The states with the most outages were Indiana, 114,805; Michigan, 114,774; Ohio, 75,076; Kentucky, 39,301; and Arkansas, 24,056.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Deadly storms slash through the South and Midwest
Violent storms cut through a wide swath of the South and Midwest, spawning tornadoes and killing at least one person, knocking down power lines and trees and ripping roofs off homes. Dozens of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued Wednesday in parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Mississippi as storms hit those and other states in the evening. Forecasters attributed the violent weather to daytime heating combining with an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear and abundant moisture streaming into the nation's midsection from the Gulf. At least one person was killed in southeast Missouri, KFVS-TV reported, while part of a warehouse collapsed in a suburb of Indianapolis, temporarily trapping at least one person inside. In northeast Arkansas a rare tornado emergency was issued as debris flew thousands of feet in the air. The coming days were also forecast to bring the risk of potentially deadly flash flooding to the South and Midwest as severe thunderstorms blowing eastward become supercharged. The potent storm system will bring 'significant, life-threatening flash flooding' each day through Saturday, the National Weather Service said. Missouri tornado leaves residents stunned: 'Keep us in your prayers' With more than a foot (30 centimeters) of rain possible over the next four days, the prolonged deluge 'is an event that happens once in a generation to once in a lifetime,' the weather service said. 'Historic rainfall totals and impacts are possible.' More than 90 million people were at some risk of severe weather in a huge part of the nation stretching from Texas to Minnesota and Maine, according to the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center. A tornado emergency — the weather service's highest alert — was briefly declared around Blytheville, Arkansas, on Wednesday evening, with debris lofted at least 25,000 feet (7.6 kilometers), according to Chelly Amin, a meteorologist with the service. 'It's definitely going to be a really horrible situation here come sunrise in the morning in those areas,' Amin said. A tornado was also reported on the ground near Harrisburg, Arkansas, in the evening. The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management reported that there was damage in 22 counties due to tornadoes, wind gusts, hail and flash flooding. At least four people were injured, but there were no reports of fatalities as of Wednesday evening. Storms batter central Indiana In Kentucky, a tornado touched down Wednesday night around Jeffersontown, a suburb of Louisville, passing the Interstate 64 and Interstate 265 interchange, according to the weather service. Four people were injured in Kentucky when a church was hit by debris from a suspected tornado, according to Ballard County Emergency Management. One person was in critical condition, while the others have non-life-threatening injuries. In Brownsburg, Indiana, where part of a warehouse collapsed, the police department told people to not travel through the city. Five semitrucks were blown over on Interstate 65 near Lowell, Indiana, state police reported. In Pilot Grove, Missouri, several structures were damaged, cars flipped over and power poles were snapped, the state emergency management agency said. Minor injuries were reported, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Authorities in eastern Missouri were trying to determine whether it was a tornado that damaged buildings, overturned vehicles and tore down utility poles, tree limbs and business signs in the morning in and around the city of Nevada. Another tornado touched down in the northeastern Oklahoma city of Owasso on Wednesday, according to the weather service. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but the twister heavily damaged the roofs of homes and knocked down power lines, trees, fences and sheds. Power was knocked out to nearly 90,000 customers in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, according to which tracks outages nationwide. As storms moved through Indiana on Wednesday night, more than 182,000 customers lost power. About 2.5 million people were in a rarely called 'high-risk' zone, covering parts of west Tennessee including Memphis; northeast Arkansas; the southeast corner of Missouri; and parts of western Kentucky and southern Illinois. The Storm Prediction Center said 'multiple long-track EF3+ tornadoes' were likely. Tornadoes of that magnitude are among the strongest in intensity. At a slightly lower risk for severe weather was an area that included Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky. Dallas, Detroit, Milwaukee and Nashville, Tennessee, were also at risk. A line of thunderstorms dropped heavy rain through parts of Indiana on Wednesday night. At least one street was flooded in Indianapolis, with water nearly reaching the windows of several cars, according to the city's metropolitan police department. No one was in the vehicles. Additional rounds of heavy rain were expected in parts of Texas, the lower Mississippi Valley and the Ohio Valley from midweek through Saturday. Forecasters warned that they could track over the same areas repeatedly, producing dangerous flash floods capable of sweeping cars away. Middle Tennessee was looking at severe storms followed by four days of heavy rains as the front stalls out and sticks around through the weekend, according to NWS meteorologist Mark Rose. 'I don't recall ever seeing one like this, and I've been here 30 years,' Rose said. 'It's not moving.' Rain totaling up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) was forecast over the next seven days in northeastern Arkansas, the southeast corner of Missouri, western Kentucky and southern parts of Illinois and Indiana, the weather service warned, with some areas in Kentucky and Indiana at an especially high risk for flooding. In Michigan, crews worked to restore power after a weekend ice storm. More than 122,000 customers were still without electricity on Wednesday, according to The Mackinac Bridge connecting Michigan's Lower and Upper Peninsulas was shut down because large chunks of ice were falling from cables and towers. It was the third consecutive day of bridge interruptions from the ice storm. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
03-04-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Severe storms in South and Midwest turn deadly
Violent storms cut through a wide swath of the South and Midwest, spawning tornadoes and killing at least two people, knocking down power lines and trees and ripping roofs off homes. Dozens of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued Wednesday in parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Mississippi as storms hit those and other states in the evening. Numerous possible twisters were reported in the South overnight, particularly in Tennessee and Kentucky. Forecasters attributed the violent weather to daytime heating combining with an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear and abundant moisture streaming into the nation's midsection from the Gulf. Sgt. Clark Parrott of the Missouri Highway Patrol said at least one person was killed in southeast Missouri, CBS Cape Girardeau affiliate KFVS-TV reported, while part of a warehouse collapsed in a suburb of Indianapolis, temporarily trapping at least one person inside. In northeast Arkansas, a rare tornado emergency was issued as debris flew thousands of feet in the air. The Tennessee Department of Health confirmed to CBS News that the state had two weather-related fatalities, one in McNairy County, outside Memphis, and the other in Obion County, in extreme northwest Tennessee. The coming days were also forecast to bring the risk of potentially deadly flash flooding to the South and Midwest as severe thunderstorms blowing eastward become supercharged. The potent storm system will bring "significant, life-threatening flash flooding" each day through Saturday, the National Weather Service said. With more than a foot of rain possible over the next four days, the prolonged deluge "is an event that happens once in a generation to once in a lifetime," the weather service said. "Historic rainfall totals and impacts are possible." More than 90 million people were at some risk of severe weather in a huge part of the nation stretching from Texas to Minnesota and Maine, according to the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center. A tornado emergency - the weather service's highest alert - was briefly declared around Blytheville, Arkansas, on Wednesday evening, with debris lofted at least 25,000 feet, according to Chelly Amin, a meteorologist with the service. A tornado was also reported on the ground near Harrisburg, Arkansas, in the evening. The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management reported that there was damage in 22 counties due to tornadoes, wind gusts, hail and flash flooding. At least four people were injured, but there were no reports of fatalities as of Wednesday evening. In Kentucky, a tornado touched down Wednesday night around Jeffersontown, a suburb of Louisville, passing the Interstate 64 and Interstate 265 interchange, according to the weather service. Four people were injured in Kentucky when a church was hit by debris from a suspected tornado, according to Ballard County Emergency Management. One person was in critical condition, while the others have non-life-threatening injuries. In Brownsburg, Indiana, where part of a warehouse collapsed, the police department told people to not travel through the city. Five semitrucks were blown over on Interstate 65 near Lowell, Indiana, state police reported. Indianapolis Public Schools announced a remote learning day Thursday due to power outages at multiple buildings. At least 10 districts in Indiana have canceled or delayed in-person classes Thursday. The town of Delta, in southern Missouri, which has under 400 people, had downed powerlines and trees, and damaged buildings. Road entrances to the town were blocked off. School was canceled for the rest of the week as the Red Cross and an electric utility took over a parking lot at the high school. "There is too much damage in town," Superintendent David Heeb posted online. "We need to give our families a chance to regroup and take care of the things they need to focus on right now." In Pilot Grove, Missouri, several structures were damaged, cars flipped over and power poles were snapped, the state emergency management agency said. Minor injuries were reported, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Authorities in eastern Missouri were trying to determine whether it was a tornado that damaged buildings, overturned vehicles and tore down utility poles, tree limbs and business signs in the morning in and around the city of Nevada. Another tornado touched down in the northeastern Oklahoma city of Owasso on Wednesday, according to the weather service. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but the twister heavily damaged the roofs of homes and knocked down power lines, trees, fences and sheds. Power was knocked out to more than 330,000 customers in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee as of Thursday morning, according to which tracks outages nationwide. A line of thunderstorms dropped heavy rain through parts of Indiana on Wednesday night. At least one street was flooded in Indianapolis, with water nearly reaching the windows of several cars, according to the city's metropolitan police department. No one was in the vehicles. Additional rounds of heavy rain were expected in parts of Texas, the lower Mississippi Valley and the Ohio Valley from midweek through Saturday. Forecasters warned that they could track over the same areas repeatedly, producing dangerous flash floods capable of sweeping cars away. Middle Tennessee was looking at severe storms followed by four days of heavy rains as the front stalls out and sticks around through the weekend, according to NWS meteorologist Mark Rose. "I don't recall ever seeing one like this, and I've been here 30 years," Rose said. "It's not moving." Rain totaling up to 15 inches was forecast over the next seven days in northeastern Arkansas, the southeast corner of Missouri, western Kentucky and southern parts of Illinois and Indiana, the weather service warned, with some areas in Kentucky and Indiana at an especially high risk for flooding.
MTV Lebanon
03-04-2025
- Climate
- MTV Lebanon
Watch: Violent Storms, Including Tornadoes, Wallop Midwest and South
Tornadoes and violent storms struck parts of the South and Midwest on Wednesday, killing at least one person, knocking down power lines and trees, ripping roofs off homes and shooting debris thousands of feet into the air. A tornado emergency was briefly issued in northeast Arkansas, with the National Weather Service telling residents on social media: 'This is a life threatening situation. Seek shelter now.' Dozens of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Mississippi as storms hit those and other states in the evening. Forecasters attributed the violent weather to daytime heating combining with an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear and abundant moisture streaming into the nation's midsection from the Gulf. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said at least one person was killed Wednesday in southeast Missouri, KFVS-TV reported. The coming days were also forecast to bring the risk of potentially deadly flash flooding to the South and Midwest as severe thunderstorms blowing eastward become supercharged. The potent storm system will bring 'significant, life-threatening flash flooding' each day through Saturday, the National Weather Service said. With more than a foot (30 centimeters) of rain possible over the next four days, the prolonged deluge 'is an event that happens once in a generation to once in a lifetime,' the weather service said. 'Historic rainfall totals and impacts are possible.' More than 90 million people were at some risk of severe weather in a huge part of the nation stretching from Texas to Minnesota and Maine, according to the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center.
