Four people have died as a powerful storm system, producing multiple tornadoes, tore through the South.
In Mississippi, 18-year-old Tykeria Rogers lost her life in Adams County when a tree fell on her home, according to Adams County Emergency Management. Another fatality was reported in Lowndes County.
In Brazoria County, Texas, one fatality was reported. A fourth death occurred in Iredell County, North Carolina, where a man was killed Sunday morning when a tree fell on his vehicle along Landis Highway.
Saturday’s storms produced over two dozen preliminary and confirmed tornadoes across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, causing significant structural damage.
On Sunday evening, the National Weather Service released preliminary strength estimates for several tornadoes that struck Texas on Saturday. Among them was a severe vortex in the Porter Heights area of Montgomery County, which was estimated to have reached EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale (0-5), with EF5 being the most intense. The EF3 rating suggests the tornado likely had sustained winds of at least 136 mph.
Another preliminary EF3 tornado was reported along Highway 124 in Chambers County, while EF2 damage was also noted in the area, although it was unclear whether this damage was caused by the same tornado.
The National Weather Service classified a vortex that remained on the ground for nearly 9 miles in Brazoria County as a preliminary EF2, indicating it was “strong,” with sustained winds of at least 111 mph. The weather service confirmed one fatality, reported multiple injuries, and noted that an elementary school sustained “maximum damage.”
Weaker tornadoes, including a preliminary EF1 and EF0, were also reported in Galveston County. The EF1 tornado required sustained winds of at least 86 mph, while the EF0, which touched down in Bayshore Park, had winds of at least 65 mph. The stronger of the two twisters remained on the ground for only 250 yards but caused “significant roof damage to a few homes.”
Surveys are ongoing, and preliminary ratings for additional tornadoes are expected to be released in the coming days.
A confirmed EF1 tornado was also reported in Lamar County, Alabama. Additional storm surveys will take place Monday in Shelby, St. Clair, Lowndes, Montgomery, and Macon counties.
Social media videos displayed widespread destruction, including downed trees in Bayou Chicot, Louisiana, and power lines knocked down, along with structural damage to homes in Conroe, Texas.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced that over 300 responders and 180 resources, including search and rescue teams, have been deployed to assist with the state’s storm recovery efforts.
“Texas state agencies are working diligently to assist their fellow Texans and have started assessing the damage,” said Patrick, who is serving as acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is out of state, in a statement.
As the storm system moved east on Sunday, it left over 20 million people from the eastern Gulf Coast to the Carolinas at risk of severe weather. However, the threat of severe conditions lessened as the front moved north and east, resulting in fewer intense thunderstorms. The weather service office in Lexington, Kentucky, noted that small hail and gusty winds could still occur through early Monday.
By Sunday evening, more than 10,200 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. had been delayed, and nearly 500 were canceled, according to FlightAware.com.
The weekend’s unusual weather, typically seen when cold air collides with rare December warmth, was caused by this clash of air masses. High temperatures in parts of Texas could exceed 90 degrees early in the week, while the Southeast could see highs in the 70s, despite the cool air trailing behind the tornado-producing front, according to federal forecasters.