Tornado Outbreak in Southern U.S. – Dec. 28-29, 2024

A dangerous and potentially deadly severe weather outbreak is unfolding across the South, impacting millions from Texas to Mississippi and beyond. The TNW Weather Center has issued a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Tornado Watch, covering nearly 2.4 million people from eastern Texas through central Louisiana and into western Mississippi. Additional Tornado Watches are anticipated further east throughout the day and into Sunday.

Key Hazards:

• Violent, long-track tornadoes are expected across Louisiana and Mississippi into the evening and night.
• Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are color-coded with yellow, Tornado Warnings in red, and confirmed tornadoes in purple.
• Flash Flood Warnings are in green, with Flash Flood Emergencies in pink.

Severe Weather Conditions:

• Numerous strong tornadoes are forecasted, along with widespread wind gusts up to 80 mph and hailstones as large as 2 inches in diameter.
• A Level 4 severe weather zone has been outlined for Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, with a Level 3 zone extending from Texas to Florida.

Meteorologist Insights:

Meteorologists at the TNW Weather Center describe the situation as a "classic tornado day," with atmospheric conditions fueling the potential for significant storm activity.

Recent Tornado Impacts:

• Texas: In Porter Heights, significant damage was reported, with multiple mobile homes destroyed and severe damage to a brick home. Drone footage captured debris swirling in the air near Katy, Texas, along with structural damage to the East Montgomery Fire Department building.
• Mississippi: In Natchez, severe weather claimed one life and injured two others. Additional tornadoes were reported in Bude and Brandon, where roofs were torn from buildings.
• Alabama: Wind or potential tornado damage was reported near Athens, Alabama, with trees and signs uprooted.

Power Outages:

As of Sunday morning, more than 67,000 customers in Mississippi were without power, along with 59,000 in Georgia and 21,000 in Louisiana. Power outages are expected to rise as the storm system progresses eastward.

Preparedness:

Residents in affected areas are urged to review their tornado safety plans and ensure they have reliable methods for receiving weather alerts. Download the TNW Weather app for real-time updates and 3D radar tracking.

Next Steps:

As these storms continue to move east, the severe weather threat will expand to areas from Virginia to Florida by Sunday night. Tornadoes, damaging winds, hail, and heavy rainfall are primary concerns for these regions.

TNW Weather Division will provide ongoing coverage with live updates through TNWWeather.com and all social media platforms.

Legal Disclaimer: This article was written by human intelligence and cleaned up by artificial intelligence to ensure clarity and readability. Copyright TNW News LLC, Sunday, December 29, 2024. All rights reserved. Authored by General Manager Todd Nardone.