Violent storms spawning dangerous and potentially deadly tornadoes moved across the Southeast Thursday afternoon, leading to a threat that will continue into the late evening. Damage from the storm has been reported in half a dozen states so far, with Alabama appearing to be the hardest hit.
The National Weather Service has issued a rare tornado emergency for Autauga County, Alabama after forecasters said a large and destructive tornado was located outside of Montgomery.
“You are in a life-threatening situation,” the NWS said during the Tornado Emergency. “Flying debris could be fatal to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be destroyed. Significant damage to homes, businesses and vehicles is likely and total destruction is possible.”
The tornado watch has since expired, but residents are just beginning to understand the extent of the damage the twister left behind.
Lachandra Sturdivant witnessed one of the tornadoes from a coffee shop in Selma, Alabama.
Sturdivant said she waited in her car to check on loved ones as roads were blocked in parts of central Alabama.
The office of Selma, Alabama Mayor James Perkins, Jr. said the city sustained significant damage from the tornado.
“Citizens, please stay off the roads and stay away from downed power lines,” the office said in a Facebook post. “City crews will be out as soon as practical to clean up.”
Another possible tornado may have hit Decatur, Alabama, where images showed buildings and other structures damaged after a powerful storm moved through the area.
“So far we’ve only had one report of an injury and I don’t know the condition of that individual,” said Hilary Granbois with the Morgan County Emergency Management Agency in Alabama. “As of right now, we have a preliminary report of a lot of downed power lines. We have several overturned 18-wheelers.”
According to Granbois, additional damage has been reported at boat ramps and in ports, and reports of the damage are slowly trickling in.
Granbois said she will have members of the National Weather Service out to assess the damage.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency shared a video on Twitter that showed damage from what is believed to be a tornado that tore through Monroe County early Thursday morning.
The National Weather Service office in Louisville, Kentucky has already confirmed that an EF-1 tornado with 100 mph winds touched down in central Kentucky in the Mercer County town of West Harrodsburg.
Also in Kentucky, Ben Johnson Elementary School in McDaniels sustained significant damage, leading to the cancellation of classes for the day.
There were also several reports of large hail as far north as Ohio and West Virginia from a series of intense storms.
The National Weather Service reported that golf ball-sized hail fell in Kemper County, Mississippi, and quarter-sized hail was reported in Butler and Grayson counties, Kentucky, and Lauderdale, Alabama.
Three hour radar loop with any active warning. Severe thunderstorm warnings are marked yellow, tornado warnings are marked red, and flood warnings are marked green.
Severe weather is expected to continue into parts of Alabama, Georgia and Florida into the early evening. The storm will be capable of producing hail, damaging winds and other tornadoes.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has issued several watches for parts of the Southeast.
A Tornado Watch was issued for northwest Georgia, southeast Tennessee and far southwest North Carolina until 5 p.m. EST. The watch includes the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
A Tornado Watch was issued for eastern Alabama and western and northern Georgia, including millions of people in the Atlanta metro area, until 7 p.m. EST.
This storm system will continue to push east Thursday night into Friday, with a large area of rain extending from New England to Florida.
