Severe weather continues to churn as death toll from US storms reaches 8
There have been 13 confirmed tornadoes in Michigan and Oklahoma this week.
The threat for severe storms continues Saturday for much of the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys.
At least eight people have been confirmed dead this week as severe weather hit Michigan and Oklahoma.
The severe weather threat continues Saturday, with two areas of severe weather (level 2 of 5 severe risk), from Texas to Mississippi, including Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Jackson, where large hail and damaging winds are the main threats. While the tornado threat is low here, a brief tornado cannot be ruled out.
More than 1,000 flights have been canceled nationwide with the biggest impacts at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Earlier Saturday, there were ground stops at Nashville International, Dallas Fort-Worth, Dallas Love Field and Austin airports due to weather. A ground stop is currently in place at La Guardia due to wind and additional ground stops and delays can be expected at airports throughout the day as the storm moves through.
The main threats across the South are large hail and damaging winds, but tornadoes cannot be ruled out.
This severe weather is feeding on well above-average temperatures that are spreading east, some of which may break more daily high temperature records.
This week in Michigan, a large and extremely powerful tornado tore through the city of Three Rivers.
Meanwhile in Oklahoma, a tornado tore through Beggs -- a city about 21 miles south of Tulsa -- killing two people and injuring two others. The National Weather Service reported that debris being lofted by the tornado was being picked up on weather radar as it was tracking through the city.
A state of emergency has been issued for eight Oklahoma counties "to ensure Oklahomans have the support and resources they need after last night’s storms," Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a post on X.
A state of emergency has also been issued for Branch, Cass, and St. Joseph counties in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced.
Emergency personnel continue to respond to a tornado touchdown in Michigan in the city of Three Rivers, Fabius Township and areas east and northeast of the city of Three Rivers, according to the St. Joseph's County Sheriff's Office. The National Weather Service is working to determine the rating of the tornado.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, but should be completed Saturday. Residents are urged to avoid the affected areas, the St. Joseph's County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Two were also injured by a likely tornado just southwest of the Prospect community in Marrion County, Texas.
One was injured after a trailer was reported to be lifted from a likely tornado near Willisville in Nevada County, Arkansas. The local National Weather Service office in Shreveport, Louisiana reported that a tornado debris signature was associated with the storm near Willisville, Arkansas.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued until 2:00 p.m. CT for central and eastern Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel, northern Mississippi and western Tennessee. This includes Little Rock, Arkansas; Greenville, Mississippi; and Memphis, Tennessee.
Multiple confirmed tornadoes
On Friday, a 12-year-old boy was killed by a possible tornado in Michigan, according to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. The boy died of his injuries after being taken to South Bend Memorial Hospital.
At least three injuries were reported from these storms, according to the National Weather Service.
Multiple large structures — including homes and pole barns — sustained damage ranging from major structural impacts to complete destruction in southwest Michigan.
The National Weather Service confirmed 6 tornadoes so far from Thursday night — two in Kansas and four in Oklahoma. The tornado that killed two Thursday night on U.S. Highway 60 near Fairview, Oklahoma -- mother and daughter, Jodie and Lexie Owens -- was confirmed to be an EF2 tornado with estimated peak winds of 115 to 120 mph.
On Friday, at least three people were confirmed dead and 12 were injured in Branch County, Michigan, and one person was confirmed dead and several others were injured in Cass County, Michigan, according to county officials.
There were also two reported injuries from damaging winds with some storms overnight -- one in Columbus, Kansas, when the side of a house was blown away -- and one near Lamar Heights, Missouri, when strong winds turned over a semi-truck.
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