Millions of Americans are on high alert as a severe weather outbreak sweeps across the Midwest and South, bringing violent tornadoes, damaging winds up to 80 mph, and large hail. A cross-country storm system is expected to move eastward, following its earlier impact on the Plains states, which resulted in wildfires, severe dust storms, and over a dozen deaths in Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. The storm system has now caused at least 36 fatalities.
Latest updates:
– A new tornado watch has been issued for West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, with severe weather threats expected to intensify in these regions over the next few hours.
– Funnel clouds could form in Charleston, West Virginia, as well as Pittsburgh and Erie, Pennsylvania. Multiple states, from Florida to western Pennsylvania, are under tornado watches.
– Damaging winds of up to 70 mph are anticipated in the affected areas, with slow-moving thunderstorms potentially leading to flash flooding in several states.
The death toll has climbed to 36 across seven states, with Missouri reporting the highest number of fatalities. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey confirmed two deaths in her state and expressed condolences for those affected by the severe weather. At least 289,054 utility customers from Michigan to Georgia are currently without power, with Southern states bearing the brunt of the outages.
We will continue to provide updates as the situation unfolds. Stay safe and heed all warnings from local authorities.
Over 75,000 utility customers in Missouri, Ohio, and Michigan were impacted by power outages, according to the power outage tracker. In Missouri, more than 61,000 customers were without power, while in Ohio, over 14,000 customers were affected. Additionally, nearly 40,000 customers in Michigan were left without electricity. The power disruptions were caused by severe weather conditions.
A tornado watch was issued for Georgia and the Carolinas by the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The watch warned of possible damaging winds up to 70 mph and a few tornadoes from Sunday morning to early Sunday afternoon in the mentioned areas. The NWS highlighted the risk of wind damage and the potential for tornadoes due to the unstable weather conditions.
Reports indicated that more than 250,000 customers across eight states were without power early Sunday morning. The states with the highest number of affected customers included Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Michigan, and Ohio. The situation was exacerbated by downed trees and power lines, hindering road access in various locations.
In Mississippi, at least six people lost their lives in tornadoes on Saturday, with three more individuals reported missing and 29 injured. Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency to mobilize resources for the impacted areas. The severe storms caused substantial damage in 21 counties, leaving approximately 16,000 residents without power.
Surveying the aftermath of a tornado in Villa Ridge, Missouri, the distinct path of destruction was evident. The storm ravaged more than a dozen homes on Baker Street, completely destroying their second floors while sparing neighboring properties. The community of around 3,000 residents was heavily impacted by the deadly storm system, highlighting the devastating effects of severe weather events.
In Villa Ridge, Missouri, on March 15, 2025, entire walls were blown off, revealing an unexpected view into people’s bedrooms. A television was still hanging on the wall above family pictures, while bottles of cologne miraculously remained upright on the armoire below. In a child’s bedroom, books sat on the shelves with no ceiling or walls around them. Fortunately, there were no reported deaths in the town.
Photo: Residents helping to cover a roof damaged by a severe storm on March 15, 2025, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. (Brad Vest/Getty Images)
Neighbors reported that everyone suffered only moderate injuries at worst, a testament to the close-knit community. By Saturday, residents were already out with equipment, clearing away fallen trees and debris from the area. This is the reality of living in “Tornado Alley” – some are spared, while others are not, and the constant threat lingers.
Photo: Tim Scott receives a hug from friend Jorden Harris outside Scott’s destroyed home after a severe storm on March 15, 2025, in Wayne County, Missouri. (Jeff Roberson/AP)
ABC News’ Matt Rivers reported on March 15 at 8:33 PM that more than 40 tornadoes had struck across eight states in the Midwest and South in the past 24 hours, with the severe weather threat ongoing. The affected states included Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee. Over 500 reports of severe weather, including tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail, have been recorded since late Friday.
Tornado watches are in effect across the South, with a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” watch for Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. In Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated that the state faces significant devastation that could take weeks or months to recover from, with three reported storm-related deaths. Residents are urged to document impacts, while officials work to restore power and provide essential supplies to affected areas.
The National Weather Service continues to caution that multiple significant tornadoes, some potentially long-track and violent, are expected in the upcoming hours. Cities such as Jackson and Meridian in Mississippi, and Tuscaloosa and Birmingham in Alabama, are under a rare, high risk of severe weather.
A level 4 “moderate risk” has been issued from northeastern Louisiana to southern Tennessee, encompassing cities like New Orleans in Louisiana, Montgomery in Alabama, and up to Chattanooga in Tennessee. Widespread damaging wind gusts and numerous tornadoes are possible in this region, with the threat extending into the nighttime hours in certain areas.
Additionally, strong, destructive wind gusts could affect cities including Tallahassee in Florida, Atlanta in Georgia, and Nashville in Tennessee, where a level 3 “enhanced risk” has been declared. Wind gusts reaching up to 80 mph could cause widespread damage and lead to numerous power outages.
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