Severe storms and tornado threats moved east into the Mississippi Valley and Deep South on Saturday, following a massive weather system that swept across the country, leaving destruction in its wake. At least six people were killed as powerful winds damaged buildings, dust storms triggered deadly crashes, and more than 100 wildfires ignited across multiple central states.
The National Weather Service issued several tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings early Saturday for Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, and Texas. Widespread power outages left thousands without electricity, according to FindEnergy.com.
Missouri saw at least three fatalities in Butler and Ozark counties, with multiple tornadoes reported across the state on Friday. The storm system impacted an area home to more than 100 million people, with wind gusts reaching up to 80 mph from the Canadian border to Texas. The northern regions faced blizzard conditions, while drier, warmer areas in the south dealt with an increased wildfire risk.
In Texas, three people lost their lives in car crashes caused by a dust storm in Amarillo County, according to Sgt. Cindy Barkley of the state’s Department of Public Safety. One crash involved an estimated 38 vehicles.
“It’s the worst I’ve ever seen,” Barkley said, describing near-zero visibility as a nightmare. “We couldn’t even tell they were all piled up until the dust settled.”
Oklahoma experienced more than 130 wildfires, forcing evacuations in several communities. The State Patrol reported that winds were so strong they overturned multiple tractor-trailers.
“This is terrible out here,” said truck driver Charles Daniel, who was hauling a 48-foot trailer along Interstate 40 in western Oklahoma. “There’s so much sand and dirt in the air. I’m keeping my speed under 55 mph—I’m afraid it’ll tip over if I go any faster.”
The severe storm threat was expected to persist through the weekend, with a high risk of tornadoes and damaging winds forecasted for Mississippi and Alabama on Saturday. Heavy rain could also bring flash flooding to parts of the East Coast by Sunday.
Experts note that extreme weather in March isn’t unusual, but this storm’s size and intensity made it especially dangerous.
“What’s unique about this system is its massive scale and strength,” said Bill Bunting of the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. “It’s producing significant impacts over a vast region.”
Tornadoes and Storm Outbreaks
The National Weather Service reported at least five tornadoes in Missouri on Friday, including one in the Saint Louis area. Several buildings sustained damage, including a strip mall in Rolla, Missouri, where a tornado was confirmed Friday afternoon.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, fast-moving storms could produce twisters and hail as large as baseballs, with the greatest danger coming from hurricane-force straight-line winds, potentially reaching 100 mph.
Parts of the central Gulf Coast and Deep South, including Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and the western Florida Panhandle, faced a high risk of “potentially violent” tornadoes on Saturday. Areas such as Jackson and Hattiesburg in Mississippi, as well as Birmingham and Tuscaloosa in Alabama, were particularly vulnerable.
Wildfires Fueled by Strong Winds and Dry Conditions
Dry, gusty conditions fueled rapid wildfire growth in the Southern Plains, prompting evacuations in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico on Friday.
A fire in Roberts County, Texas, northeast of Amarillo, rapidly expanded from less than a square mile to nearly 33 square miles, according to the Texas A&M University Forest Service. Firefighters managed to halt its advance by Friday evening.
Another fire, about 60 miles south, spread to nearly four square miles before crews contained it in the afternoon.
Oklahoma activated its emergency operations center as multiple fast-moving fires led to evacuations, including in the town of Leedey and rural areas east of Norman. Firefighters had been prepositioned in high-risk areas, allowing for a quicker response, said Andy James, Oklahoma Forestry Services’ fire management chief. However, heavy smoke and dust limited visibility, making aerial firefighting efforts difficult.
By Friday evening, the National Weather Service described a “complex of extremely dangerous fires” near Stillwater, northeast of Oklahoma City, prompting evacuation orders for residents, businesses, and hotels, including a Walmart.
In Missouri, officials urged evacuations in parts of Camden County as wildfires neared homes and businesses. Meanwhile, high winds forced the temporary closure of about 120 miles of Interstate 70 in western Kansas due to blowing dust and reduced visibility.
The storm’s powerful winds also knocked out electricity to over 216,000 homes and businesses across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, according to PowerOutage.us.