Officials reported significant damage over the weekend after a powerful storm system swept through the southern United States, resulting in at least four fatalities. The intense weather caused approximately 45 tornado reports across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, according to the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. Crews are set to conduct damage surveys to verify tornado activity.
The storms disrupted holiday travel, leading to hazardous road conditions and widespread delays at major U.S. airports. Over 600 flight delays were reported at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, highlighting the travel impact.
Meteorologists noted the rarity of such severe weather events occurring late in the year. In the Houston area, storm survey teams confirmed that five tornadoes affected regions both north and south of the city, resulting in multiple casualties and injuries.
In Brazoria County, a 48-year-old woman was found deceased near her home, with authorities still determining the exact cause of death. Reports indicated injuries to four others, along with significant damage to over 40 homes and buildings.
In Montgomery County, north of Houston, around 30 homes were completely destroyed, while 50 others sustained major damage. Additional tragedies occurred in North Carolina where a 70-year-old man died when a tree fell on his truck during the storms.
Mississippi also faced losses, with two reported fatalities. An 18-year-old girl died when a tree struck her home in Natchez, and another fatality was reported in Lowndes County, with several injuries across the state.
Two tornadoes were confirmed around Bude and Brandon in Mississippi, causing substantial damage. Further north, storm damage was noted in Athens, Alabama, where high winds damaged downtown buildings, including the uprooting of a military helicopter on display.
By Sunday afternoon, utility reports indicated that over 40,000 residents in Mississippi were without power, alongside significant outages in Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia.
In North Carolina, parts of U.S. 441 were closed due to storm impacts, a further setback for regions still recovering from Hurricane Helene earlier this fall. In Bumpus Cove, Tennessee, efforts were underway to salvage supplies following heavy rainfall exacerbating unstable ground conditions from previous storms.
