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A deadly severe weather outbreak spawned at least 34 reports of tornadoes from Louisiana to Mississippi and Alabama late Tuesday and early Wednesday, and cleanup is now underway across the region as the threat of damaging storms comes to an end Wednesday afternoon.
Emergency officials in Montgomery County, Alabama, confirmed to FOX Weather that at least two people were killed early Wednesday morning when a tornado struck the Flatwood community in the city of Montgomery’s north side. At least one other person was being treated for life-threatening injuries, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
The Montgomery City-County Emergency Management Agency reported that multiple others were injured during the twister, which toppled trees and severely damaged homes and businesses.
‘COMMUNITY HAS BEEN WIPED OFF THE MAP’: AT LEAST 2 KILLED, SEVERAL INJURED WHEN TORNADOES TEAR ACROSS SOUTH
“We don’t have an exact number, and I do not want to give out incorrect information,” said Christina Thornton, director of the Montgomery City-County EMA. “But there are minor, moderate (injuries) and the two fatalities that we have suffered in our community at this time.”
The National Weather Service has given a preliminary EF-2 rating to the Montgomery County tornado, which packed estimated winds of 115 mph – an upgrade from an initial preliminary rating of EF-1 given earlier Wednesday. Tornado surveyors found additional significant tree damage and damage to high-tension power lines that added 5 mph to their initial 110 mph peak wind assessment and increased the tornado to a category EF-2. Surveys are still under way.
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In Louisiana, four people were seriously injured and several animals were killed in Caldwell Parish during a possible tornado Tuesday evening, according to photojournalist Michael Beard with Live Storms Media.
WATCH LIVE COVERAGE ON FOX WEATHER
As of Wednesday afternoon, an area of rain and thunderstorms is ongoing from northern Florida to southern Georgia.
The threat of severe weather will be minimal for the remainder of the day, but locally gusty winds are possible in any stronger storms.
TRACK THE STORMS USING THE FOX WEATHER 3D RADAR
(FOX Weather)
At least 33 reports of tornadoes since Tuesday
Dozens of Tornado Warnings were issued from Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning as supercells energized and rolled through the South.
As of Wednesday afternoon, at least 33 reports of tornadoes have been tallied by the NWS from Louisiana to Mississippi and Alabama.
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Storm surveys are underway by NWS offices across the region to determine the exact number of tornadoes from the outbreak. Preliminary findings so far have confirmed an EF-1 tornado struck Eutaw, Alabama, Tuesday evening, which caused significant damage to an apartment complex.
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A storm chaser reported observing a large “wedge” tornado along Highway 42 east of Bassfield, Mississippi, with several downed trees and power flashes, according to the NWS office in Jackson, Mississippi.
Another tornado struck near Bywy, Mississippi, just after 5:15 p.m. Central on Tuesday evening.
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“We’re seeing trees down all throughout that area … homes are seeing severe damage; there was a camper flipped completely on its roof,” Sgt. Dillon Cates with the Choctaw County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office told FOX Weather. “There was a house in the Sherwood community that the roof was actually lifted off of the house, twisted 180 degrees and dropped back down on the home.”
HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED WHEN LIKELY TORNADO TEARS THROUGH CHOCTAW COUNTY IN MISSISSIPPI
In Steens, Mississippi, an apparent tornado damaged the Mt. Zion Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
SEE TORNADOES RIP THROUGH SOUTH, DAMAGING CHURCHES AND DESTROYING HOMES
At least two homes were damaged in southern Lawrence County, Mississippi, where the NWS confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down.
“We had a tornado touch down approximately for about a mile … and probably about a quarter-mile wide,” Lawrence County Fire Coordinator Donnie Weeks told FOX Weather. “We had two brick homes that suffered significant roof damage; a couple livestock farms were completely destroyed.”
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOUR PROPERTY SUSTAINED TORNADO DAMAGE
And while a tornado damaged several homes and a grocery store in Caledonia, Mississippi, Lowndes County Emergency Manager Cindy Lawrence said that, luckily, no one was harmed by the storms.
“No injuries. I did have a couple people say they were trapped in their house, but crews went to the scene and got them out,” Lawrence said. “Nobody was hurt. We didn’t have to transport anyone to the hospital.”
DAYLIGHT REVEALS DEVASTATION IN MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITIES HIT HARD BY TORNADO OUTBREAK
As the storms continued tracking east early Wednesday morning, emergency managers in Washington County, Alabama, reported damage in the community of Fruitdale around 2:30 a.m. CST from a potential tornado. The NWS said a debris ball signature was noted on Doppler radar at the time
According to FOX 10, Fruitdale High School suffered damage during this storm, and U.S. Highway 45 was closed in both directions in Fruitdale because of debris on the road.
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Additional reports of damage were received by the NWS early Wednesday morning in Elmore County, Alabama, after a tornado-warned storm struck near Blue Ridge and Emerald Mountain at about 3:30 a.m. CST.
But despite the dozens of tornado reports, forecasters feared the outbreak could have been even worse, with several signs pointing to an outbreak of long-track tornadoes with potential for EF-3 or stronger ratings.
“Some of those storms were rotating very strongly at the cloud level but for some reason they just could not spin their way all the way down to the surface,” said field meteorologist Brett Adair with Live Storms Media who was out chasing the storms across Mississippi Tuesday evening. “So I think we dodged somewhat of a bullet in terms of the number of tornadoes and maybe the longevity of the tracks.”
November’s typical tornado risk area
The tornado reports since Tuesday have been found right where you’d expect them at this time of year.
In November, the highest chance of tornadoes based on long-term averages stretches from East Texas into the lower Mississippi Valley and parts of the Southeast.
HERE’S WHERE TORNADOES ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR IN EACH MONTH
The U.S. averages 65 tornadoes each November, making it the most active month in the fall severe weather season of October, November and December in the South.
In addition, there’s a notable peak in nighttime tornadoes in November, with the month averaging more than 400 twisters in the dark, according to data from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center.
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