Severe Thunderstorms And Violent Tornadoes Threaten Millions In 8 States

A tornado warning is in place for millions of people across multiple states on Saturday. Severe thunderstorms are also expected.

Why It Matters

The month of March traditionally marks the beginning of tornado season in the United States.

Tornadoes pose a severe risk to life and property, with their powerful winds capable of destroying homes, overturning vehicles, and uprooting trees. The most dangerous tornadoes can be long-tracked and violent, causing widespread devastation over large areas. Flying debris is often the biggest threat, making sheltering in a sturdy, enclosed space crucial during a storm. Beyond immediate destruction, tornadoes can also leave communities without power, water, and essential services for days or even weeks.

What To Know

A severe thunderstorm and a significant tornado outbreak is expected across the Deep South today, with the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issuing a high risk forecast for parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana.

The most at-risk region spans from New Orleans, Louisiana, through Jackson and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and into Birmingham, Alabama. These areas are facing the highest likelihood of destructive tornadoes, with conditions strongly favoring severe, long-lived storms. The SPC has warned that tornadoes hitting these areas could be “long-track and potentially violent.”

A broader area, including Nashville, Tennessee, Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama, as well as Tallahassee, Florida, falls under a 15 percent to 10 percent risk zone, where tornadoes are also possible but may not be as widespread or intense.

According to the SPC, the severe weather threat will begin in eastern Louisiana and Mississippi late in the morning, intensifying through the afternoon. As the system strengthens, storms will move into Alabama by the late afternoon and evening before reaching the western Florida Panhandle and Georgia overnight.

Meteorologists point to a strong cyclone in the Upper Mississippi Valley as the driving force behind this outbreak, with strong wind shear, high moisture levels, and unstable atmospheric conditions creating a dangerous environment for supercell thunderstorms. Large hail and damaging winds exceeding 110 knots are expected to further fuel the storms.

The risk extends as far north as the Ohio Valley, with a 2-5 percent tornado risk reaching parts of Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio, as well as parts of Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Residents in the affected areas are urged to take immediate precautions, have a severe weather safety plan, and stay updated with official warnings. Given the potential for violent tornadoes, emergency officials stress the importance of seeking shelter in sturdy, reinforced structures and remaining alert throughout the day and night.

What People Are Saying

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) said: “A tornado outbreak is expected across the central Gulf Coast States Deep South into the Tennessee Valley. Numerous significant tornadoes, some of which should long-track and potentially violent, are expected this afternoon and evening. The most dangerous tornado threat should begin across eastern Louisiana and Mississippi during the late morning to afternoon, spread across Alabama late day into the evening, and reach western parts of the Florida Panhandle and Georgia Saturday night.”