AccuWeather is wrapping up live coverage of the severe weather that unfolded across the central United States on Thursday into Friday. For additional coverage, stream AccuWeather NOW anytime on our website. Stay up to date on the latest weather in your area by downloading the AccuWeather mobile app and visiting AccuWeather.com. And keep an eye on weather news and forecasts by following AccuWeather on:
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A total of 13 preliminary tornadoes were reported across five states on Thursday as severe weather impacted the central United States, according to the National Weather Service. Two tornadoes were reported in Texas, including one in Perryton that was responsible for multiple fatalities. The other report in Texas came from Clay County later in the night. A preliminary EF2 tornado occurred in Lucas County, Ohio, on Thursday evening. Oklahoma recorded the most tornado reports on Thursday, totaling six reports spanning from the panhandle into the far southern portion of the state.

It has been a busy week for Extreme Meteorologist Reed Timmer, who chased tornadoes in Georgia on Wednesday and then Oklahoma on Thursday. The hundreds of miles driving paid off as he intercepted twisters in both states in the Dominator 3. Now, he is catching up on some rest and refueling his body before hitting the road again. On Friday, he posted a photo of his well-balanced breakfast with carbs, protein and a helping of leafy greens. “Working on the breakfast of ultimate recharge so we can never stop chasing,” Timmer tweeted. AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting a stormy weekend in the central U.S. with the risk of severe weather on Saturday and Sunday.

Storms that have recently plagued the mid-Atlantic were beginning to clear out of major cities by Friday afternoon, but not before unleashing flooding rainfall and even spinning up a funnel cloud. In Philadelphia, the city’s airport measured 1.04 inches of rain on Friday as of 3 p.m. EDT — over four times as much rain as the airport measured throughout the entire month of May (0.24 inches). It wasn’t the only city to see downpours either as parts of Ocean County, New Jersey, saw estimates of 2 inches of rainfall on Friday.

A little to the west, several reports flooded in of a funnel cloud in Pemberton, New Jersey, shortly after 1 p.m. EDT. Reports from the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center noted that trees in Pemberton Heights had been downed across roads just before 1 p.m., local time, with more tree damage reported across the county. While the storms are moving out of these areas, several severe thunderstorm watches and warnings were still active across areas farther south such as in Virginia and North Carolina.

Power outages have continued to climb across the United States following several rounds of severe weather. Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi have more than 140,000 outages per state, according to PowerOutage.US. In Florida, most of the power outages came from the panhandle, where severe weather and damaging flooding was reported on Friday morning. Power outages started to trickle in from parts of the Northeast. Ohio and Pennsylvania both had more than 13,200 customers without power as of Friday afternoon.

Piles of debris, downed power lines and a trail of destruction can be seen in a drone video of Perryton, Texas. Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby shared the video on Friday morning as residents continued to grapple with the devastation that was left behind after a destructive tornado ripped through the town on Thursday evening. At least three fatalities were confirmed and more than 50 people were injured from the twister. Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said a mobile home park and the town’s fire department both took a “direct hit” from the twister. He expected as many as 200 homes in the town to have been damaged. “Keep praying for Perryton. We were hit hard,” the Perryton Fire Department wrote in a Facebook update. “Lives have been lost and many homes and businesses lost...We have a lot of work in the days ahead to heal our community.”

Ochiltree General Hospital Community Education Consultant Amie Marrufo told AccuWeather that 115 patients came into the hospital Thursday following the twister in Perryton, Texas. Injuries ranged from minor lacerations to head injuries, broken bones and collapsed lungs. According to Marrufo, there were no fatalities at the hospital. “There were more ambulances than you can imagine,” said Marrufo, who was thankful for the “incredible support” throughout the community.

Tornado damage in Perryton, Texas

Despite the hospital still being without power as of Friday morning, Marrufo said the generators are supplying the building with enough power to remain fully operational. Marrufo added that anyone experiencing health concerns following Thursday’s tornado should come to the hospital. “It is all hands on deck,” said Marrufo. “Patient care is what we are here for.”

The hectic severe weather pattern is not going to come to an end on Friday. AccuWeather meteorologists have outlined an area from northeastern Oklahoma to the Florida Panhandle on Friday as one part of the country where severe thunderstorms are expected to develop. A moderate risk of severe weather is in place from parts of southeastern Oklahoma to the Florida Panhandle. Large cities in this area include Little Rock, Arkansas; Shreveport, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama. Isolated tornadoes, flash flooding and damaging winds are among the storm threats that forecasters are tracking.

Farther to the north and east, AccuWeather forecasters are also tracking the potential for severe storms along part of the East Coast. A risk area from North Carolina to Long Island, New York, has been highlighted. Storms in this region can bring hail, cause localized flash flooding and unleash damaging winds.

One fatality was confirmed in Escambia County, Florida, after a confirmed tornado moved through the county Thursday night, Pensacola News Journal reported. Escambia County Fire Rescue and emergency medical services responded to a call just after 8:30 p.m. CDT on Thursday of a person trapped under a tree that fell on their home during the storm. The person was pronounced dead on the scene.

The LaBahia Condos next to Galvez Court in Pensacola Beach, Florida, sustained significant damage Thursday night when severe storms and a tornado tore through the area. (USA TODAY NETWORK via Reuters Connect)

A flash flood warning is in effect for Pensacola as rounds of heavy thunderstorms are tracking into the region. AccuWeather radar showed a large batch of rain over Mississippi, Alabama and parts of the Florida Panhandle shortly before 8 a.m. local time Friday. More than 9 inches of rain fell across the city on Thursday, prompting a flash flooding emergency to be issued by the National Weather Service. According to Fox 10, the Escambia County Fire Rescue confirmed more than 100 residents were evacuated from an apartment complex in the area.

"After nearly 10 inches of rain fell on Thursday night, blowing away the historical average for the entire month of June (7.32 inches) in just about 12 hours’ time, another round of heavy rain and severe thunderstorms was bearing down on the Pensacola area on Friday morning," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said.

Radar GIF of the rain moving into Pensacola, Florida, on Friday, June 16. (AccuWeather)

"Severe thunderstorm watches and warnings were issued ahead of this next round of storms, which could drop another inch or two of rain in a short amount of time, exasperating existing flooding issues," Deger said.

The storms moving in also have had a history of knocking down trees and causing power outages on their long journey from the Red River Valley of Texas and Oklahoma into the South from late Thursday into early this morning. A reprieve from the heavy rain and thunderstorm activity is expected to arrive late Thursday morning into Friday afternoon.

Power outages climbed across the South after rounds of severe weather targeted the region on Thursday. More than 230,000 customers were without power in Texas, according to PowerOutage.US. While the majority of the outages in the state came from the northeastern corner, outages were also high in Ochiltree County, which was where a deadly tornado barreled through on Thursday evening. Additionally, power outages were high in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida on Friday morning.

The roof of a bank in Lavon, Texas, collapsed after storms rolled through the area on Thursday evening. Lavon is located about 27 miles northeast of downtown Dallas. A video shared by ABC News photographer Mike Forbes showed the roof on the ground with debris, such as glass and wood, surrounding it. According to the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth, severe thunderstorms tracked through the area late Thursday night into early Friday morning. Weather reports from the area included wind gusts of at least 78 mph.

Heavy rainfall caused flooding and even a flash flood emergency in the Florida Panhandle overnight. Pensacola received 9.30 inches of rain on Thursday evening, easily surpassing the old daily record rainfall of 4.12 inches set in 1985. Other locations near Pensacola received much more rain. An incredible 15.70 inches flooded Gulf Breeze, with 15.23 inches in Warrington.

When storm surveys are conducted in the aftermath of a damaging tornado, the National Weather Service uses a six-point scale known as the Enhanced Fujita Scale to rate the storm’s wind speeds and damage. This scale replaced the original Fujita Scale in 2007, with NWS officials saying the EF scale would “reflect better examinations of tornado damage surveys so as to align wind speeds more closely with associated storm damage.”

But how did the original scale come to be in the first place? The history of the Fujita scale, and its creator, Tetsuya “Ted” Fujita, is a tale of one of the most important and well-respected meteorologists of all time.Click here to learn the origin story of Fujita, the man some consider the “father of tornado research.”

Portions of the Pensacola, Florida, area have received over 9 inches of rain, prompting the issuance of a flash flood emergency.

Over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into dangerous floodwaters, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you come across a flooded roadway, it is important to Turn Around, Don’t Drown! ® Just 1 foot of moving water is enough to sweep away your vehicle. While you should avoid driving into flooded roadways, if you happen to find yourself trapped in your car in fasting moving water the most important thing to remember to do is to stay calm. According to Car.com, here are a few other things to remember:

• Turn on your headlights and hazard lights to make it easier for emergency personnel to locate you.

• Unbuckle your seat belt and unlock your doors.

• Take your jacket and outer clothing off.

• If you can open your windows, do so slowly, climb out, move to higher ground and call 911.

• If you can’t open your windows, you’ll have to open your doors. To do so, you must first equalize the water pressure inside your car to match the outside. This will require water to enter the car and fill up to about neck level. Once the doors are open, swim safely to land and call 911.

The term Tornado Alley was first coined in 1952 when two meteorologists — Major Ernest J. Fawbush and Captain Robert C. Miller — studied severe weather in parts of Texas and Oklahoma. And since then, the term has stuck around as a way to describe the area that encompasses parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota, where tornadoes were seemingly most frequent.

But with powerful tornadoes decimating areas in the Midwest and southeastern United States, there now may be a reason to believe that Tornado Alley has shifted east. “When you look at the trends in where tornadoes have occurred in recent years, it’s very clear that there have been more tornadoes farther south and farther east away from what people have typically known as the Tornado Alley across the Plains,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter explained. Click here to learn more about the research behind a shift in tornado frequency and how defining Tornado Alley is not as easy as it seems.

At least three people have died amid significant damage in the north and east side of Perryton, Texas, following a tornado on Thursday, according to NBC News. The tornado destroyed trailer homes and downed communication towers. More than 75 people are being treated for injuries at local hospitals, Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher told ABC News.

A view of a damaged site in Perryton as the town gets struck by a tornado, in Texas, Thursday, June 15, 2023. (Sabrina Devers via TMX/via REUTERS)

A view of a damaged site in Perryton as the town gets struck by a tornado, in Texas, Thursday, June 15, 2023, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. (Sabrina Devers via TMX/via REUTERS)

Texas A&M Forest Service was responding to a request for assistance in Perryton, Texas, following a confirmed tornado north of the city. The storm dealt intense damage not only to mobile homes and structures, but to trees and power lines as well. Video footage of the city showed the debris scattered across roads and yards. Crews from Amarillo, Lubbock and Childress had also formed saw crews to aid the city, according to Texas A&M Forest Service.

More than 100,000 customers are without power across the central United States as powerful storms impact from Ohio to Texas. Ohio and Oklahoma both reported more than 25,000 customers without power as of Thursday night. Multiple confirmed tornadoes and damaging wind reports have been recorded across Oklahoma throughout the day on Thursday. In nearby Texas, over 17,000 customers were without power while over 16,000 lost power in Alabama. More than half of Ochiltree County, Texas, has reported outages following a tornadic storm that damaged Perryton, Texas.

A destructive tornado hit Perryton, Texas, damaging numerous buildings and injuring at least two people as of 7:45 p.m. CDT Wednesday. This is the first tornado to track through the Texas Panhandle city since April 26, 2008, when an EF0 twister briefly touched down, according to TornadoArchive. The most destructive tornado to ever track through the town was an F2 twister on May 4, 1950.

A map from TornadoArchive that shows all of the tornadoes that have tracked through the town since records began in 1950. (TornadoArchive.com)

At least two people were injured after a mobile home took a direct hit from a tornado in Perryton, Texas, according to Storm Chaser Jeff Piotrowski. Firefighters are still searching the rubble and conducting rescues. Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher told ABC7 Amarillo that at least 30 trailers were damaged or destroyed by the twister. TwisterChasers shared a video of the destruction left behind. Power lines and trees could be seen scattered about and several houses were flattened by the tornado.

Accounts of injuries and tornado damage were filtering out of Perryton, Texas, after a confirmed tornado struck the town Thursday evening. The exact number of people injured was unknown as of 6:45 p.m. CDT, but photos showed extensive damage to the Panhandle town of 8,000 people. Dozens of mobile homes had been decimated and debris lay strewn across yards and roads alike.

Storm chasers in Perryton, Texas, were reporting massive damage following an “extremely violent tornado,” according to the storm-chasing group TwisterChasers. One of the members was in Perryton shortly after the tornado, filming the extent of the damage and listening for people trapped. “There are people yelling for help!” they called out on camera. This is a developing situation.

View of the Perryton, Texas tornado that touched down Thursday, June 15, 2023. (Twitter/@carlosborunda5)

The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado 5 miles east of Faxon, Oklahoma, on Thursday evening. Prior to impacting Faxon, the destructive thunderstorm delivered large hail across the Lawton, Oklahoma, area. Reports of hail up to 3 inches in diameter-- or baseball size -- were recorded just north of Lawton. Strong winds led to tree damage in Lawton, according to a public report to the National Weather Service. 

At least 30 homes in Mississippi were damaged in Wednesday’s storms, according to a preliminary report from the state’s Emergency Management Agency. The count includes 10 homes in Humphreys County, 15 homes in Forrest County and five homes in Lawrence. A church was also damaged in the latter. Damage reports also included downed trees and power outages due to high winds.

In Arkansas, Michael Godfrey, Director of the Miller County Office of Emergency Management, confirmed with AccuWeather that there was also some damage in the southern part of the county, with many reports of trees and power lines down across roads and flash flooding. “My office along with the county road department and several volunteer fire departments and private citizens worked well into last night and some of today to work on clearing debris. The county road department is still working on some of the roads,” he said. Power company crews were also working to restore electricity. As of Thursday evening, over 460 customers were without power, according to PowerOutage.US. After inspecting the damage in the area, the National Weather Service determined straight line winds with a preliminary estimate of 90-100 mph had damaged the area, according to Godfrey.

AccuWeather meteorologists are closely monitoring the potential for multiple long-lived severe thunderstorm complexes capable of causing a high amount of damage -- including the potential for a derecho. The risk includes the central and southern regions of the United States. The severe thunderstorm complexes are expected to develop from Thursday night into the weekend and could continue into early next week. Top risks for Thursday night into Friday include western Nebraska into Oklahoma and Texas including the Dallas metroplex. Arkansas and parts of Louisiana and Mississippi are also at risk during that timeframe.

“Just as AccuWeather meteorologists had accurately forecast across parts of the South on Wednesday into early Thursday morning, these intense thunderstorms can produce a widespread threat for damaging winds. There is even the potential for long-lived, rapidly moving clusters of storms over the coming days," explained AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter.

These complexes are also known as "derechos," which resemble "inland hurricanes," and can produce damaging winds over a large area. The winds contained in derechos can cause widespread damage to trees, power lines and buildings.

Severe hail has been reported in multiple states as of Thursday afternoon as severe thunderstorms continue to impact the area. Hail of at least 1 inch in diameter — or quarter size — has been reported in Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Reports of the same size have also come in from Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Georgia on Thursday. The largest hail reports came from Bent County, Colorado, and Escambia County, Alabama. Both locations measured 2.5-inch hail, or baseball size. In Kansas, 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size) was recorded in Grant and Hamilton Counties.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for parts of western Oklahoma and northern Texas, including the former’s state capital, Oklahoma City. The watch covers a population of nearly 2.4 million people and warns of widespread hail up to “DVD size,” a few tornadoes and gusts of up to 90 mph. The watch is set to expire at 10 p.m. CDT.

A tornado watch (dark red) was issued for parts of western Oklahoma and northern Texas. To the north, a severe thunderstorm watch is in place for parts of eastern Colorado and western Kansas. There are pockets within both areas that are covered by severe thunderstorm warnings (orange).

The radar for the National Weather Service’s office in Birmingham, Alabama, was offline Thursday following a suspected lightning strike, according to the weather service. Earlier Thursday morning, strong storms with winds of 30-35 mph, small hail and heavy rainfall moved south of the city. “Some areas may experience water issues with the high rain rates, so stay aware of the weather and any roads you may use today!” The office warned earlier Thursday over Twitter. A few hours later, around 10:30 a.m. CDT, the office announced the Birmingham radar (BMX) was down. In an update posted at 11:30 a.m., the office posted that “parts are needed from a suspected lightning strike. The radar will be down until the parts arrive.” The area is in a low risk zone for severe weather late this week. 

The National Weather Service issued the first severe thunderstorm watch of the day in the Plains. The watch extends from parts of eastern Colorado into western Kansas, covering a population of 173,832 people. The watch warns of possible tornadoes, hail up to the size of tennis balls and gusts of up to 70 mph. Unless it is extended or canceled, the watch will last until 8 p.m. CDT.

The severe thunderstorm watch (yellow) in the Plains covers parts of eastern Colorado into western Kansas.

Extreme Meteorologist Reed Timmer had a heart-pounding encounter with a tornado Wednesday afternoon near Newton, Georgia, located in the southwest corner of the state. Many storm chasers would have called it a day after the twister dissipated, but Timmer put his foot on the gas and stayed true to his motto of “never stop chasing.”

Timmer is traveling westward to make it to Oklahoma — nearly 900 miles away from Georgia — where he will chase a new round of severe weather into Thursday night. Besides a lack of sleep, he is starting to see a side-effect of the long haul on his hands. Fortunately, Timmer is not alone in his Dominator 3 storm chasing vehicle and can pass off driving duties to prepare for the impending chase. AccuWeather forecasters say there is a high risk of severe weather from the Oklahoma Panhandle to central areas of the state, including the risk of intense winds, tornadoes, and what Timmer would call large “gorilla hail.”

A severe weather event will threaten a large swath of Oklahoma late Thursday into Friday evening. Oklahoma City is one of the cities within the high-risk zone that was highlighted by AccuWeather meteorologists early Thursday morning. “Stay weather aware today,” the Oklahoma City Police Department said in a Twitter post. More than 1 million Oklahoma City residents will be at risk for large hail, tornadoes, intense lightning and damaging wind gusts on Thursday evening. In the strongest storms, an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 90 mph is possible. Oklahoma City does not have any public storm shelters, so it is important for residents to make a plan before the storms strike. 

Noel Smith was putting the cover on his grill on Sunday evening when lightning struck nearby and gave him the fright of his life. The whole encounter was captured on Smith’s home security camera. Smith, who walked away startled, but uninjured, serves as a good reminder to people across the country. Even when thunderstorms don’t turn severe, lightning can still pose a threat. It’s crucial for people to head indoors once they can hear thunder. Lightning can strike up to miles away from a thunderstorm.

If you or someone you know was impacted by severe weather, the task of filing a claim may seem daunting, but there are ways to make the process easier. When your property is damaged from a storm, document the damage by taking photos. Make sure to keep all receipts if you perform temporary repairs so you can have a record for reimbursement, according to KTBS. It is also important to not pay anything up front and get everything in writing. Another tip is to be cautious of people going door-to-door who may be trying to capitalize from the severe weather.

Trained weather spotters across the southern United States reported damaging wind gusts, hail and tornadoes as severe weather rampaged across the region. At least 10 twisters were reported on Wednesday. The majority of the tornadoes were reported in eastern Mississippi and western Alabama.

From Texas to Florida, there were 321 wind reports on Wednesday. A wind gust of 82 mph was reported in Cleveland, Mississippi, which is located about 17 miles east of the Arkansas-Mississippi state line.

Wednesday’s storms also produced a significant amount of hail across the South. Just west of the Alabama-Mississippi state line, in Brooksville, Mississippi, a 5-inch hailstone was reported. This is one of the largest hailstones ever recorded in Mississippi. In Arkansas, several 4-inch hailstones were reported on Wednesday. The National Weather Service in Little Rock said Wednesday’s supercells appear to have been some of the “most prolific hail-producing storms in Arkansas weather history.”

Visible satellite images on Thursday morning revealed robust thunderstorms prowling across the South. The storms were being fueled by moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and triggered by a stalled frontal boundary. High cloud tops indicate vigorous thunderstorms, some of which were capable of spawning hail and gusty winds. But, farther to the north, there’s a much different picture. An upper-level low-pressure system spinning across the upper Great Lakes region was drawing in dry and smoky air from the many large wildfires still burning across Canada.

NOAA

As severe weather targets the southern Plains late Thursday and into Friday, AccuWeather meteorologists have highlighted a high risk area from southwestern Kansas to the northeastern Texas Panhandle and western and central Oklahoma. Thunderstorms will be capable of unleashing damaging winds, large hail, frequent lightning strikes, flash flooding and isolated tornadoes. In the strongest storms, an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 90 mph is possible.

There were around 100 damaging hail reports compiled by the Storm Prediction Center as a result of the severe storms on Wednesday. Widespread hail reports came in from Arkansas in particular. As the below video shows, the hail came down fast and furious at times, pelting driveways, cars and backyard pools in some cases.

A father and son duo geared up in helmets and made the most of a hailstorm in Texas on Sunday evening. The father grabbed large hailstones and tossed them to his son who was standing under a roofed porch with a baseball bat. “Thirty minutes ago you were hitting baseballs,” the father could be heard saying in the background of the video. “Let’s hit the fence on the fly with this one. Hailstones, the size of baseballs.” According to the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth, Texas, severe storms moved through the Highland Village area, which is located just north of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, on Sunday evening.

Extreme Meteorologist Reed Timmer warned that a severe weather outbreak across the southeastern United States on Wednesday could bring the threat of “gorilla hail.” But what is “gorilla hail?”

Well, it’s exactly what one would think it is — extremely large hail. Timmer coined the term on Twitter during a storm chase in Texas in April 2020. During that chase, hailstones over 3 inches in diameter completely smashed the windshield and windows of Timmer’s vehicle, leaving pock marks on the rest of it.

Hail is officially classified based on its diameter, with its size being compared to a commonly known object. Hail sizes typically range from as small as peas to as large as softballs. The size of hail is directly linked to the strength of a thunderstorm. Gorilla hail is  larger than three inches in diameter — which is larger than a baseball.

The year 2023 started on an active note for severe weather, driving the year-to-date number of tornadoes above historic averages through March. But after a quiet May and June, 2023 has now seen a below-normal number of tornadoes throughout the year. Earlier this year, a powerful jet stream that charged through California drove multiple storms and helped to ease the drought in the West also steered storms into the South. There, the storms clashed with warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico, which had water temperatures 2-4 degrees above the historical average.

“You put in the warmth, you put in the humidity with this jet stream, and thunderstorms just explode in January,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. The first severe weather outbreak in the contiguous U.S. occurred on Jan. 2, the second following 10 days later. January, February and March all saw a number of tornadoes above the respective month’s three year average, according to preliminary reports. One of the most notable outbreaks was on March 31, when severe weather struck both the South and the Midwest with 122 tornadoes in a 24-hour period — the fourth-highest number of tornadoes seen within that timeframe on record. April and May, typically two busy months in the severe weather season, didn’t meet their monthly average, however. The weather pattern changed in May as the jet stream dipped in the West and the eastern U.S., keeping Gulf moisture at bay. “This pattern shut the severe weather season down, although it’s been busy the last couple of days and it will be busy this week, but I’ll tell you what, we’re not looking at a lot of tornadoes,” Rayno said. “Most of the reports I think are are going to be wind and hail.”

The overall risk of being struck by lightning is already low, with odds of one and 15,300 of being hit in your lifetime (defined as 80 years), according to the National Weather Service (NWS). But there are proper safety precautions one can take to further protect themselves when lightning is a risk in their area. When thunder roars, get indoors, is a catch phase used by the NWS for people to remember the safest place during a thunderstorm is inside. If you can’t get indoors, here are some other precautions you could take to protect yourself during a thunderstorm:

• Cars are better than nothing. While being in an enclosed car is not as safe as being inside a building, it is safer than staying outside.

• Stay low: It’s best to get as low to the ground as possible, you do not want to be the tallest thing around during a thunderstorm.

• Avoid bodies of water. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity, meaning it can travel far.

• Tents and pavilions are not good options. Many tents and pavilions have metallic or least frames made of other conductive materials. They are just as risky to stand under as a lone, tall tree.

• Don’t dawdle. While lightning can occasionally strike farther away, it typically strikes within a 10-mile radius around the storm. If you can hear thunder, then it’s time to get inside.

• Always check the forecast before heading outside. If you know you’re going to be outside for an extended period of time, far from any nearby buildings or your car, check your local forecast before you leave the house for the day.

More images shared on social media show the sheer destruction caused by a tornado that reportedly tore through Eufaula and Abbeville, Alabama, Wednesday afternoon, local time. Bradley Bedwell shared footage of a twister as seen from Dothan, about 20 miles south of Abbeville, and the resulting damage:

Eufaula authorities said no one was injured, although many residents were reporting multiple homes destroyed, roofs ripped off structures and numerous snapped and uprooted trees throughout the city, located near the Georgia border. Some downed power lines were still smoking. The National Weather Service has yet to confirm that a tornado touched down in the region.

Local police were urging area residents to “re-evaluate” their methods of receiving tornado warning notifications since severe weather is forecast to continue into the overnight hours. Eufaula, the largest city in Barbour County, has seen tornadoes in four of the past five years. “We cannot emphasize enough to be weather aware and ready,” police said in a Facebook post. 

Extensive damage from reported tornado in Eufaula, Alabama

A map of the southeastern United States showing lightning activity from 9 a.m. EDT to 9 p.m. EDT on June 14, 2023. Each dot represents one lightning event. (AccuWeather)

Frequent lightning has been common with the severe thunderstorms from South Carolina to Texas among the gusty wind, hard-hitting hail and twisters. Over the past 12 hours, more than 130,000 lightning events have been detected across the southern U.S., according to AccuWeather’s database. Not all of these lightning bolts hit the ground, with some being cloud-to-cloud lightning -- the most common type of lightning. In 2022, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas all ranked in the top 10 for the states with the highest annual lightning count. 

Knowing when severe weather is approaching can be life-saving information, especially during a severe weather outbreak, like what is unfolding over the South Wednesday. One of the easiest ways to receive severe weather alerts, such as tornado warnings, is by having the free AccuWeather App on your smartphone. Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app, which also provides an ad-free experience. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer. These custom alerts can provide critical time to seek shelter before damaging weather moves into the area. Watching the AccuWeather Network and monitoring AccuWeather’s website are two other ways to stay updated with the latest weather information.

Power outages are surging across the southern United States as severe thunderstorms unleash intense wind, window-shattering hail and frequent lightning. Over 150,000 electric customers are without power from Georgia to Texas, according to PowerOutage.us. Nearly half of the outages in the region are in Alabama, where 73,000 customers are in the dark. Outages may continue to rise as storms continue to rumble into Wednesday night.

Dangerously large hail has been pelting parts of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi as severe thunderstorms rumble over the states, in addition to strong wind gusts and isolated tornadoes. A hailstone 5 inches across was measured in Brooksville, Mississippi, located about 110 miles northeast of Jackson, Mississippi. Photos on social media also showed that the chunk of ice measured 9 inches in circumference. A hailstone this large can easily cause property damage or severe injury. Hail larger than baseballs was also measured across southern Georgia.

While the worst of the severe weather has primarily focused on Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, thunderstorms are causing disruptions all across the region. The FAA announced a ground stop at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport during the height of the Wednesday evening commute due to thunderstorms in the area. The storm responsible for the ground stop was south of Dallas but was close enough to the airport to force officials to hold departing flights. As of 5:25 p.m. CDT, 151 departing flights at the airport had been delayed, according to FlightAware.

Months after multiple tornado strikes damaged the town, Eutaw, Alabama, once again faced storm damage Wednesday afternoon. Greene County Emergency Management Agency Manager Hodges Smith told AccuWeather that a tree had fallen on a house in Eutaw, trapping an undisclosed number of people. He added at least one person was sent to the hospital with minor injuries, and the other people trapped were able to make it out of the house. While he had heard of widespread damage within the city limits, he was unable to confirm specifics at the time of the phone call with AccuWeather as he was still traveling to Eutaw. 

The town of Eutaw, Alabama, is still recovering from multiple tornado strikes over the past year. One occurred in November, while the other occurred in January. The city, located in the western part of the state and about 86 miles southwest of Birmingham, was facing additional threats of severe weather Wednesday. AccuWeather Senior Broadcast Meteorologist Geoff Cornish spoke to Corey Martin, the town’s spokesperson, earlier on Wednesday to find out how the town is preparing for more dangerous weather.  Watch the interview below.

As severe storms continue to move through the southern United States, AccuWeather's Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter highlighted key points to keep an eye on.

• The complex of storms could arrive in Jackson, Mississippi, by 4 to 5 p.m. central time, and could make it to Jacksonville, Florida, by sunrise on Thursday.

• Flash flooding threats and power outages can occur with thunderstorm complexes. This complex might evolve to look like an "inland hurricane" with wind gusts above 75 mph. If the wind threat evolves, power outages could be extended.

• Mobile homes in higher risk areas are extremely dangerous places to be with damaging winds. Residents should have a plan to find safer structures in advance of the storms arriving.

• Severe thunderstorm warnings with the risk of damaging winds over 65 mph should be treated in the same way as a tornado warning, as the risks and damages can be similar.

• Porter recommended people download the AccuWeather app and turn on push notifications. People should be ready to seek safe shelter if warnings are issued in their community.

When a tornado hits, seconds can mean the difference between life and death. This database shows tornado shelters open to anyone, color-coded by accessibility standards, building type, capacity and other details. People sheltering in mobile homes are 15 to 20 times more likely to be killed in a tornado than those sheltering in site-built homes, so experts recommend residents should have an emergency plan to find the closest community shelter. While sheltering in a foundation-based home, experts recommend the DUCK acronym - get DOWN to the lowest level, get UNDER something sturdy, COVER your head and KEEP in a shelter until the storm has passed. If severe weather strikes while driving, experts recommend seeking shelter in a building if possible and avoiding sheltering under an overpass, as debris can be funneled by high winds and become dangerous projectiles. If finding a structure isn’t possible, drivers should stay in their cars with their seatbelts on, get as low as possible and protect their head. Consult the database here for further details on tornado shelters.

Reed Timmer intercepted a “strong” tornado near Newton, Georgia, Wednesday afternoon amid the severe weather raking across the South. The area had been under both a tornado and an areal flood watch Wednesday afternoon, the former of which will last until 7 p.m. ET. “Look how strong it is!” Timmer said while filming the wedge tornado. “Listen to the roar!”

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center issued a “particularly dangerous” severe thunderstorm watch for parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi on Wednesday afternoon. The watch will be in effect until 8 p.m. CDT. The situation evolved as the storms formed a “bow echo,” or an arched line of thunderstorms at times within a squall line, along the Louisiana/Arkansas border. This severe weather feature can indicate the forming of a derecho. “A derecho-producing event is probable with intense damaging wind swaths up to 90 mph,” the SPC said.

In addition to the derecho potential on Wednesday, AccuWeather meteorologists say the atmospheric ingredients that are necessary for powerful thunderstorm complexes, or derechos, to form will be in place later this week and into next week. The thunderstorm complexes will be capable of unleashing damaging winds, large hail, frequent lightning strikes and flash flooding. AccuWeather Local StormMax™ wind gusts will range from 80 to 90 mph and could end up as high as 100 mph.

Key atmospheric signals for derechos or strong thunderstorm complexes will be present from portions of the southern and central Plains to the Southeast through this weekend and into next week, AccuWeather Senior Long-Range Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said. “There will be a building dome of heat centered on Texas, initially, a nearly stationary storm over the eastern U.S., and a strong jet stream that extends from northwest to southeast over the region,” Lundberg explained.

Tornado damage has been reported in Eufaula, Alabama, which is located on the Alabama-Georgia state line. According to emergency management officials, storm damage was reported at a housing development in the town and along several roadways. Photos shared by James Spann, an AMS-certified broadcast meteorologist, showed on Twitter several snapped trees and damage to buildings within the town.

Multiple tornadoes have already been confirmed across parts of the South Wednesday, and the threat of damaging storms will persist well into Wednesday night. Extreme meteorologist Reed Timmer was near Demopolis, Alabama, Wednesday morning as he discussed why the atmosphere was primed for an outbreak of severe weather.

Another radar-confirmed tornado was reported in Georgetown, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon. As the tornado tracked east, the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for the surrounding towns. According to a radar product called correlation coefficient, debris was likely being lifted in the air as the twister moved through the area.

A radar-confirmed tornado was spotted on the Alabama-Georgia state line early Wednesday afternoon. As the tornado moved east across the Georgia state line, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a tornado warning for several southwestern Georgia towns, including Edison, Arlington and Bluffton. This warning puts more than 3,600 residents at risk, according to the NWS. Besides the tornado, golf-ball-sized hail is possible with this storm.

AccuWeather meteorologists say that Wednesday’s severe weather event could evolve into derecho, a type of extreme weather that only occurs in the United States a few times a year. A derecho is a long-lived line of intense thunderstorms that produces frequent wind gusts of at least 58 mph over an area stretching at least 400 miles, according to NOAA. The line of severe storms must also have a width of at least 60 mph. A derecho is also known as an inland hurricane due to its rain, wind and appearance on satellite.

A derecho that blasted across the Midwest on Aug. 10, 2020. (AccuWeather)

Derechos are more common across the Plains, Midwest and Northeast, but in rare cases, they can unfold over other areas of the county. One of the strongest derechos in recent years took place in Iowa in August of 2020, where winds over 110 mph flattened fields of corn and caused billions in damage.

AccuWeather meteorologists warned Wednesday areas from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama faced a high risk of severe weather into Wednesday night along with the chance of destructive wind gusts. An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 90 mph can occur within the region, according to forecasters. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter warned of the potential for long-lived, rapidly moving clusters of storms later Wednesday. These clusters, known as derechos, resemble “inland hurricanes,” and can produce devastating wind damage over large areas, destroying trees, power lines, homes and other structures.

The storms also bring the risk of large hail and tornadoes to the same region, with AccuWeather forecasters warning that locations that could experience several rounds of thunderstorms Wednesday were also at greatest risk for flash flooding. Cities at the greatest risk for this include Jackson, Mississippi; Montgomery, Alabama; and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. “People in the threat area are advised to frequently check AccuWeather.com, the free AccuWeather mobile app and the AccuWeather Network," Porter said. "Please heed any warnings issued for your community and treat any warnings issued for damaging winds above 65 mph as you would a tornado warning by moving to a safe interior room on the lowest level of your home or business and placing yourself where there are as many walls between you and the outside as possible.”

A flood watch is in effect on Wednesday for a large swath of the Southeast. As of Wednesday afternoon, the flood watch spans five states and includes a population of nearly 6 million people, according to Iowa Environment Mesonet. AccuWeather meteorologists say that severe thunderstorms will track through the watch area throughout the day on Wednesday and produce torrential downpours that could lead to localized flooding, especially in poor drainage areas, such as cities.

Emergency management officials confirmed a tornado was on the ground in Abbeville, Alabama, Wednesday morning, just west of the Alabama-Georgia state line. A tornado warning was issued for Abbeville and other surrounding towns. The tornado is expected to continue moving east toward the Alabama-Georgia state line.

A tornado watch has been issued for parts of central Alabama through 5 p.m. CDT Wednesday. As storms track into Alabama Wednesday, a few tornadoes, hail upwards of 3.5 inches and damaging wind gusts up to 80 mph will be possible. A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form, while a tornado warning means danger is imminent. Central Alabama residents should have a severe weather safety plan in place.

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has issued two severe thunderstorm watches as of Wednesday morning. The first watch spans across central Arkansas, northern Mississippis and the southwestern corner of Tennessee. This watch is in effect until 2 p.m. CDT, unless otherwise stated. 

A second severe thunderstorm watch is in effect just south of the first watch. Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and parts of Texas are under this severe thunderstorm watch, which is in effect until 4 p.m. CDT.

Communities across Texas and Oklahoma withstood torrential downpours of rain, hail and gusty winds as severe storms moved across the region Tuesday. In areas including Pampa, Texas, AccuWeather video showed flooded streets, while hail the size of ping pong balls was reported in cities like Wheeless, Oklahoma, and Mesquite, Texas. In some cities, high winds caused reports of downed trees and power lines as the storms progressed. One tornado was reported through social media in Conlen, Texas. Watch the full video below to see the storms' effects.

As severe weather targets the southeastern United States Wednesday, AccuWeather meteorologists have outlined a high-risk thunderstorm zone from northeastern Louisiana and southeastern Arkansas to the border of Alabama and Georgia. It is in this area where damaging wind gusts are most likely, and an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 90 mph could occur. “There is the potential for a long-lived, high wind and torrential rain thunderstorm event, referred to as a derecho, in the high-risk zone into Wednesday night,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. Cities such as Jackson, Mississippi, and Montgomery, Alabama, could experience localized street and highway flooding as the storms dump heavy rain.

Knowing the critical difference between a tornado watch and warning will help you prepare for incoming severe weather and could save your life.

Tornado watch: This means you are “watching” for something to happen. Usually issued a few hours before severe storms could hit a broad area. A watch is used to alert the public of a developing threat for tornadoes where conditions exist for creating tornadoes, but one has not necessarily formed yet. When under a watch, it is important to be prepared and remain vigilant.

Tornado warning: This means forecasters are “warning” you to take action and seek shelter immediately. It is more urgent than a tornado watch. Warnings are issued minutes before a tornado strikes a highly localized area. A tornado is imminent or has been detected on radar.
A simple way to remember the difference between both is by using the taco analogy. A watch means the ingredients to make tacos are there, but the taco has not been made yet. A warning means the tacos have been made and are ready right now. The time to eat them is coming very soon.

With severe weather in the forecast, it is important to understand and prepare for the risks that are inbound. These are five tips that can help you and your family prepare in advance:

•Shelter safety: It is important to make sure the storm shelter is safe and provides an escape if the door is blocked by potential debris.

• Access to shelter and supplies: Having a storm shelter that cannot be accessed effectively defeats the purpose of having one at all. Shelters should be as easily accessible as possible.

• Security and restoration planning: If doors and windows are shattered and missing, securing the property quickly is essential. Making sure the property is structurally sound and having a repair company in mind should be planned before the severe weather.

• Insurance and financial protection: Consumers should look at the types of disasters their area may be prone to in order to determine if they have the proper coverage in place.

• Protecting irreplaceable property with sentimental value: Some items may never be able to be replaced after a disaster. For these items, it is a good idea to take preventative measures to protect personal possessions that hold sentimental value.

More to read:

Severe storm danger increasing in South

This 121-year-old landmark was destroyed in seconds

Reed Timmer recounts his top 5 most memorable tornado chases

This map may save lives when there's a tornado threat