Missouri tornadoes leave 2 dead after storm sweeps through state amid severe weather outbreak
Severe weather wreaked havoc in Missouri, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and widespread damage across the state. The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed the fatalities of a man and woman in the Bakersfield area of Ozark County in the aftermath of the storm.
Structural damage was reported in Wright County, northwest of Hartville, while areas in Howell County such as Moody, South Fork, and southwest of West Plains also experienced significant impacts including damaged structures, fallen trees, and downed power lines. The extent of the damage extended into Oregon County, affecting communities like Rover, Thomasville, and Alton.
As the sun rose, state officials anticipated discovering further damage throughout the region. This severe weather outbreak occurred as more than 150 million people were at heightened risk of severe weather, with Saturday being forecasted as potentially the most dangerous day.
Bill Bunting, operations branch chief for NOAA and the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, warned about the dangerous storm system, highlighting the combination of moisture, wind shear, and lift that could lead to explosive and potentially deadly storms. The severe weather watches on Friday stretched from outside Minneapolis to near New Orleans, with the heartland of the nation bearing the brunt of the storms.
Tornadoes were reported in various communities, including Rolla, Hartville, and areas outside St. Louis. Dramatic video footage from Rolla captured the intensity of the storm as powerful winds swept over a gas station where two individuals found themselves in the midst of a tornado.
Emergency management urged residents to stay away from storm-damaged areas until authorities could assess the situation. Several tractor-trailers were overturned along the Interstate 44 corridor, but no missing persons were reported.
The severe weather also caused nearly a quarter of a million power outages in the Midwest through the lower Mississippi River Valley. A ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ Tornado Watch was issued for multiple states, indicating high confidence in the occurrence of violent tornadoes in the watch area.
The storm system was predicted to move eastward on Saturday, potentially triggering a tornado outbreak across the central Gulf Coast states and the Deep South into the Tennessee Valley. Major cities like Birmingham, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi, were under a Level 5 threat on the severe storm threat level.
On Sunday, the storm was expected to impact the East Coast, with the threat of tornadoes confined to the Virginia coast and south into the Carolinas. Damaging wind gusts and large hail were forecasted as the main threats, with severe storms also possible in the Northeast.
As the severe weather continued its path across the country, residents and authorities remained vigilant, prepared for the potential impact of the powerful storm system.
