A severe storm moved east into the Mississippi Valley and the south, bringing with it the threat of tornadoes, strong winds, and wildfires. On Friday, multiple tornadoes were reported in Missouri, leading to damage and dangerous conditions. The storm also caused dust storms in Texas, resulting in fatal car crashes. In total, more than 100 wildfires were started across several central states due to the extreme weather conditions. Evacuations were ordered in Oklahoma amid the fires, and officials warned of fast-moving storms that could produce twisters, damaging winds, and hail.
The National Weather Service issued warnings for blizzard conditions in colder northern areas and wildfires in warmer and drier southern areas, threatening widespread damage. In Texas, three people were killed in a car crash due to a dust storm, with traffic pileups involving nearly 40 vehicles. The severity of the storm led officials to declare a state of emergency in St. Louis County, Missouri, where several buildings were damaged, including a strip mall in Rolla. The Storm Prediction Center forecast continued severe storm threats over the weekend, with high chances of tornadoes, damaging winds, and flash flooding.
Evacuations were ordered in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico due to rapidly spreading wildfires. In Roberts County, Texas, a fire quickly grew to nearly 33 square miles before crews were able to stop its advancement. Strong winds and dry weather conditions in the Southern Plains posed a significant threat for the rapid spread of wildfires. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management activated its operations center in response to fires near Leedey and Stillwater that led to mandatory evacuations, including homes, hotels, and a Walmart.
High winds caused power outages in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, affecting over 216,000 homes and businesses. In addition, blowing dust and limited visibility led to the closure of roughly 120 miles of Interstate 70 in western Kansas. Blizzard warnings were issued for parts of western Minnesota and eastern South Dakota, with snow accumulations of up to a foot and gusts up to 60 mph expected to cause whiteout conditions. The storm’s impact extended into the weekend, with a high risk of tornadoes in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida.
The threat of tornadoes, damaging winds, and flash flooding persisted through the weekend across the central Gulf Coast and Deep South. Areas such as Jackson, Hattiesburg, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and other regions were at high risk for severe storms and tornadoes. The possibility of twisters, hail as large as baseballs, and straight-line winds near hurricane force heighten the danger for communities already grappling with the aftermath of the deadly storm. Mandatory evacuations were urged for residents in parts of Camden County, Missouri, as wildfires approached homes and businesses. The extreme weather conditions posed a significant challenge for emergency responders and residents in the affected areas.
